The Dragon's Heart
by Teenlaunch
Summary: Hermione and Draco look for their lost friend constantly. Just how close are they? A new friendship is formed. Will they ever find out what the other's purpose is in their lives? Let's find out. Rating may go up later. AU
1. Chapter 1

The Dragon's Heart By: TeenLaunch  
  
a/n: This story was just an idea that popped into my head when I was half asleep. The next day I got onto the internet and what do you know? There are other stories like this one out there! So, anyone that thinks that I got this idea from someone else, I did not get it from someone else!  
  
"Hey Mom! I'm home!" Hermione Granger closed the back door behind her.  
Hermione Anne Granger was a beautiful, young lady of seventeen. Her appearance had changed drastically over the summer. Her hair was no longer bushy, but long and slightly curly. She was now 5'6" and she had filled out in all the right places.  
Hermione would be starting her seventh and final year at Hogwarts the next day. The school year would also be different. She had made Head Girl! When she had gotten the letter she had been overjoyed as her parents also had been.  
Hermione was a tad worried about this though. She had been informed that she would share a dorm with the Head Boy, her partner. Why would this worry her you ask? Simple. Her fear was that the Head Boy would be none other than Draco Malfoy.  
This boy had always picked on her. For one year she thought that she had had him figured out. Then in her second year she noticed how each time he insulted her, especially with the word 'Mudblood', his eyes would dim just a bit more. Eventually his eyes looked lifeless, hopeless, without a trace of happiness. They were filled with sorrow, anguish, and mourning. Sometimes, in her dreams, his eyes would haunt her.  
Hermione set down her keys and her purse slowly as she spotted a note on the counter. She bent over it and read:  
  
Hermione,  
  
I'm sorry that I'm not at home at the moment, but I had an urgent phone call from one of my friends. I found this under your bed and thought you might like it back. Crookshanks was the one who had taken it.  
  
Love,  
Mum  
  
P. S. - I'm sorry for begging you to take it off for the first time last year. I just thought that you shouldn't dwell on him forever. Maybe I'm wrong.  
  
Hermione's curious expression deepened, none the less she lifted up the note and saw a beautiful, silver chain with a blue, sapphire, heart- shaped pendant inlaid with small diamonds around it. She turned it over and read: 'The Dragon's Heart'. She smiled and, noticing the time, went to bed, but not before putting the necklace on herself.  
  
A small, bushy haired, buck-toothed girl looked around her classroom in dismay. Everyone was playing, except her. This was the way Kindergarten had gone for her as well. She walked over to the bookcase, picked a book, sat down, and started to read.  
After a couple minutes she noticed a boy with slicked back, blond hair and silver eyes was sitting a few feet away from her and he was looking around the classroom sadly. The girl put up her book and then plopped down in front of the boy, all smiles. The boy jumped, but smiled.  
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger! What's your name?" Hermione extended her hand to the boy, which he took gratefully.  
"Hi, I'm Draco Malfoy, Hermione."  
"You look sad; do you want to come and color with me?"  
"Sure." Draco replied and Hermione drug him to the table.  
  
"Do you really have to go, Draco?" Hermione sobbed as Draco gave her a hug, trying to dry her tears.  
"You know that I don't want to go, Hermione." Draco held her at arms length. "My father's making me leave. I don't want to leave you. I'm afraid that I'll never see you again and that would break my heart." Draco was choking back his own tears now. "Here, this is for you."  
Draco pulled a small, black box from his pocket, opened it and heard Hermione gasp. Inside was a blue heart on a chain.  
"May I?" He said after taking the necklace from it's box.  
"Of course." Hermione nodded and she moved her hair out of his way so that he would have no trouble with the necklace. After it was secure she turned it over: 'The Dragon's Heart'.  
"My heart belongs to you, keep it safe. I love you, Hermione."  
"I have something for you too. I'm afraid it's not special like your gift, but I don't want you to forget me." She tied a small, handmade, and colorful bracelet to his wrist, it said: 'Never Forget Me'.  
"Of course it's special, you made it." Draco gave her another hug and she gave him a peck on the cheek, he blushed crimson.  
"Draco, come on, we've got to go!" Narcissa, Draco's mother called.  
"I've got to go, but I promise that we will meet again." Draco broke the hug and raced to the limo where his mother was waiting.  
  
Hermione bolted upright in her bed and tried to stop her tears, but to no avail. It hadn't been long since her last dream about her childhood, but it had been a while since she had cried over it. After her tears had subsided she racked her brain to see the boy's face, remember his voice, or hear his voice again, but.  
"Argh!" Hermione yelled and her mother, who had been passing her daughter's room, poked her head in.  
"What's wrong, Pumpkin?" Mrs. Granger saw that she wouldn't get an answer and guessed what the problem was. "The dream again?" She sat down beside her daughter. "You can't remember anything about him?" Hermione shook her head, "And you had this dream when the necklace was lost?" Hermione nodded fervently.  
"Have you ever thought about that necklace of yours being magical? You have this dream and it seems like it's trying to tell you something, but, when you wake up.What if that necklace has powers?"  
Hermione was stunned, she had never thought about this before. "What are you saying?! That he could be right in front of me?!" Her mother nodded.  
"If he's that special to you, keep looking. Do you still love him?" Mrs. Granger asked.  
"Of course I do! I've never had an interest in anyone else like that, just an interest in being friends! Sure, I went to the Yule Ball with Viktor, but I couldn't accept his offer to be his girlfriend when he asked! I have never loved anyone like I loved that boy! Well, there are some special cases." Hermione had started to lovingly finger the pendant around her neck.  
"I understand. Just look closely at anyone you think can be him; even ones who you think can't be him. Goodnight, Sweetie." Mrs. Granger kissed her daughter on the forehead and left Hermione to mull over her words.  
Hermione pulled out her personal planner and marked down the night's happenings. Then she went to sleep, devoid of dreams with mystery boys.  
  
Meanwhile.  
  
Draco Malfoy woke with a start and fought back his tears. He screwed up his face in concentration, but couldn't remember her face, her voice, or even her name.  
"Oh, this is so annoying!" Draco said to the air as he sat up.  
Draco James Malfoy was a decently built, young man of seventeen. His height was now 5'8" and he had become more muscular, he was no longer a skinny little boy.  
School for Draco started the next morning. The only problem was that he hated, yet loved going there every year. He was always stuck with the Slytherins. How he had always longed to be in a different house, maybe even his favorite, Gryffindor.  
His mother, Narcissa Malfoy, had been a Slytherin, but she had a secret and Draco alone knew it. She was a descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor. The reason that she had been put in Slytherin was because she was sly, cunning, and wise.  
The reason that he longed to be in Gryffindor was mainly because of the Gryffindor Three, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. There, with them, he wouldn't have to hate, despise, or be cruel. That was the reputation that had been placed on his shoulders when he had gone to Hogwarts.  
This year, though, he would share a dorm with the Head Girl, his partner. Yes, he did know who it would probably be, Hermione Granger. He knew that she could see that his sadness and agony would come to the surface when he insulted her and his childhood friend was the cause of it. Still, he wouldn't trade his time with her for anything.  
"Draco, what's so annoying and why are you up at two in the morning?" Narcissa closed Draco's door noiselessly and sat down beside her son. She frowned at the look on Draco's face. "Look at me, son, look at me." Draco turned his face to his mother, teas now evident on his face; he was surprised to see her crying too.  
"Now, listen to me Draco." Narcissa took her sons face into her hands and looked him in the eyes. "The necklace is doing this. It only screens her from you because she is your true love. When you find her and recognize her, the dreams will stop and you two will be together forever." She saw the doubt in her son's eyes.  
"How do you know that she is my true love?"  
"The necklace wouldn't have locked when you put it on her. When the necklace was touching both of you it made its decision by glancing in your hearts and minds. The other powers of the necklace are yet to be discovered. For each couple the powers are different, except that one.  
"I know that mothers aren't supposed to invade on their children's privacy, but, I read your diary."  
"Mother, you didn't!" Draco sat up straight and his eyes flashed dangerously. ` "I'm sorry, Honey. I needed to know if the necklace was doing anything. You see, every time you get this feeling that you can't describe, she's thinking of you and caressing the necklace. You can tell when she is angry, happy, or sad. One of my favorite powers that the necklace possesses is if the two are true lovers then the necklace will not let them fall in love with anyone else." Draco dimly registered this fact; he was busy with his diary.  
Right after his mother's statement about the feeling that he couldn't describe he started to feel that way again. This time he would describe it as it happened.  
'I feel like I'm floating, I'm lightheaded and I can feel her fingers running lovingly over my heart. I miss her so much and I can tell that she misses me, but I wonder just how much she wants to see me. Does she hate me for leaving? Is she regretting that she ever met me? Will I ever see her again?'  
These questions swirling around his head he put down his diary and his quill to find his mother staring fixedly at him. "Just take my advice and look at anyone and everyone. There is something that I haven't told you about that bracelet she gave you. Do you remember when your father confiscated it? Well, he lit it on fire, threw it in the fireplace, and left it to burn, but it didn't. Your father thinks that he got rid of your only connection with that girl, but then he's not usually right is he? When I found the bracelet it was like brand new. Do you know what this means?" Draco shook his head. "She unknowingly placed a protecting charm on it. She's a witch, pureblood or muggle-born, I don't know which. All I know is that she could be right under your nose." Narcissa gave her son a gentle hug and left.  
Draco was shocked, but soon he lay down and went back to sleep.  
  
a/n: So, how did you like it? I would like just a few reviews please. I also need some help of a fellow author out there. I do not know how to separate the chapters. Some one be kind and let me in on the finer secrets of this site. Thanks! Bye! 


	2. Chapter 2

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 2 By: Teenlaunch  
  
"Mom, don't worry. If I have the dream again I'll owl you." Hermione took her trunk and other possessions onto the train. As she reached a compartment the train sprang to life and pulled out of the station. She stuck her head in a compartment door. "Is this seat taken?"  
The people occupying the compartment were none other than, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Ginny Weasley, her best friends. Ginny studied Hermione and smiled. The boys, however, were puzzled by her appearance.  
"That seat is for our friend, Hermione Granger, sorry." Ron turned to Harry, expecting the 'New Girl' to leave, but she didn't.  
"Yes?" Harry said, confused.  
"Of course you can sit here!" Ginny winked at her. Hermione loaded her trunk on the rack.  
"Thank you,"  
"Weasley, Ginny Weasley." She shook Hermione's hand and they sat down, determined not to look at each other, lest they start off into a giggling fit.  
  
Half an hour later.  
  
Footsteps could be heard in the passageway. They stopped at Hermione's compartment. The door slid open and everyone looked up to see Draco Malfoy standing there alone. Hermione sighed and Ginny gasped as the realization hit her.  
"You're not serious?!" Ginny whispered and Hermione nodded.  
Draco let his eyes rove over the occupants of the compartment. 'Potter, the two Weasleys, and .Granger?' Draco smirked at her as she stood up and prepared to leave with him.  
"What, no cronies with you this time, Malfoy? Did they get tired of being paid minimum wage to protect you?" Harry said as Hermione passed him, her trunk floating behind her.  
Draco chose to ignore Harry all together. "Potter, why aren't you speaking to her?" Draco asked curiously.  
"Either tell us what you're on about, Malfoy, or buzz off!" Ron snapped as Hermione drew level with Draco.  
`Draco looked at Hermione's face and saw that she was hardly suppressing her own laughter. Draco was extremely surprised to hear real laughter coming from his mouth. He looked back at Harry and Ron. "You mean that Granger has been missing for half an hour and you haven't even attempted to find her? Pathetic!"  
"What's pathetic, Malfoy, you?!" Ron jumped to his feet, closely followed by Harry.  
"No, that you don't know who this is and I, your archenemy, can recognize her, pitiful. Any who, you can get there on your own. Come when you're finished here, Granger." Draco left, laughing hysterically at Harry and Ron's stupefied faces.  
"Uh, are you really Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione turned around and smiled.  
"At least you're not mad at us." Ron and Harry dropped into their seats. "Hey, where are you going now?" Hermione smiled at them sadly as she pulled her badge from her pocket and attached it to her robes. Ron and Harry's mouths fell open.  
"No way! You're not going to live with that monster, no, no, and, let me think, NO!" Harry and Ron yelled simultaneously. Hermione shrugged and started walking towards the Heads' compartment.  
When she got there she saw what seemed to be the whole of Slytherin House trying to break down the door. Then she looked up and jumped. Draco was staring intently at her from the window above the door.  
'He's smiling, no, he can't smile, he's, smiling, he's really smiling.' Hermione thought and she smiled back at him. Draco pointed a little to her right and she moved to where he was pointing. He nodded and then he mimed tapping a stick against the wall. Hermione took out her wand and tapped the wall beside her.  
"I knew he was friendly deep down." Hermione muttered as a door opened in the wall and she went into a small hallway with another door at the end. When she reached it she saw Draco lounging across four seats.  
After about two hours of sleep Draco started to toss, turn, and mumble indistinctly. "Father, no I don't want to go. Why do you hate Muggles and muggle-borns so much? No, please, let me stay! Why do I have to leave?" With a violent jerk Draco fell off of his seat and landed on the floor of the train. Hermione, who had had her nose in a book, jumped and looked down at the mass of black and the spot of platinum blond at the end.  
"Aw.did poor little Draco fall down and go boom?" Hermione snickered as Draco pried himself from the floor.  
"Ha, ha, ha.very funny! Hey, since when have we been on first name terms anyway.Hermione?" Draco said, trying not to let his delight in the change of events show.  
"Since just now, Draco. It would be very hard to even stand each other if we aren't even civil to each other. Truce?" Hermione held out her hand and Draco took it awkwardly.  
"Truce." Draco said smiling. 'Please don't ask, please don't ask, please don't -'  
"What were you dreaming about that made you fall off your seat?" Hermione said with her nose back in her book, it was a diary.  
"Oh, uh." Draco bit his lip nervously. Hoping that she would buy his explanation. "It was nothing really, nothing at all."  
"Fine, don't tell me. We just made a truce, not a spill-your-guts-to- the-other-person kind of thing." Hermione said. 'If only it could be that way. He's different on the inside, I know it.' Draco laughed softly at her choice of words.  
'Haven't I heard that before?' Draco calmly explained the situation to her. "If you're saying that we can't be friends then I bet I can prove you wrong." Hermione raised an eyebrow at him as she closed her diary and sat it down.  
"But what would the Slytherins and Gryffindors say?"  
"Who says that they have to know? We won't insult each other, we won't complain if we're put together for something, but we won't be friendly enough to let on to our friendship. I think I can do that, how about you, Hermione?" Draco said and Hermione smiled broadly.  
"Sure I can do that. So, friends?" She said looking him straight in the eyes, he did the same. Hermione stuck out her hand to him again and he took a firm hold of it as he answered her.  
"Friends!" There was a knock on the door at that moment. Draco stood up and groaned. "I think I broke my back!"  
"How did you hurt your back when you fell face forwar - .Oh, you hit the edge of the seat when you fell, huh?" Hermione stood up and grabbed his arm. "Here," She got into her trunk and pulled out a black massage seat cover. (Crazy, I know.) "lay down on this, it will help your back. It's a massage seat cover. It won't bite." She said impatiently as she put the cover across Draco's previous four seats. Draco lay down on it slowly.  
Hermione muttered something and jabbed the cover with her wand. The cover started to vibrate and heat under Draco's body. Draco was very startled, but soon his eyes glided shut. Hermione smiled, he was already beginning to trust her. There was another, more impatient, knock on the door. Hermione slowly walked to the door, dreading the person on the other side being a Slytherin.  
"Oh, it's Pot - I mean, Harry, Ron, and a few others. They can come in as long as they don't bother me or try to start another fight." Draco said sleepily as he groped in his pocket and withdrew a black rag, which he placed over his entire head. Hermione opened the door and smiled at her friends. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Dean, Neville, Seamus, Parvati, and Lavender were at the door.  
"All of you? What are you here for?" Hermione said, surprised at the number of people at the door.  
"We were seeing if you were still alive, 'cause some Slytherins said that you Malfoy might eat you alive!" Neville completely lost his head at the thought.  
"I highly doubt that he could do that at the moment." Hermione giggled as Draco snored lightly. "Can we come in, Hermione; we're almost at Hogwarts so Malfoy shouldn't mind us being here for a bit and if he does, tough!" Ginny stepped into the compartment and the others followed.  
"Well, sit down if you're staying." Hermione closed the door and turned around just in time to stop Neville, who had started to sit down on Draco's midriff as to since, he was blending in with the seats. "Neville, wait!" Hermione screeched as she grabbed Neville's arm. "Why don't you sit by Ginny?" Every one was giving her strange looks as Neville moved to a different seat.  
"Why, is that Ferret Boy's special seat?" Ron asked.  
"Well, um, he.Wait, am I the only person in here who can see correctly?!"  
"What are you talking about?" Harry said as he scanned the room at head level. He stood up and walked over next to Hermione. "It's not like he's sitting in this very seat." Harry poked what he thought was the seat but was really the black cloth covering Draco's face. Hermione's hand flew to cover her mouth. "What's wrong, Hermione? Ah?!" Harry leapt backward as Draco growled loudly at the displeasure at being poked in the face.  
"I'll tell you what's wrong! You poked me in the forehead, that's what, and I was asleep too!" Draco pulled the cloth from his face.  
"I poked you on the forehead, Malfoy?" Harry said.  
"Is there an echo in here?!" Draco said as he folded the cloth and placed it over his eyes. "Wake me up when we get there." He muttered to Hermione as she took a seat one away from him.  
  
I hope you like it! If you don't, tell me! Thank you to my reviewers! I was so happy to hear from you. I will update as soon as possible.  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	3. Chapter 3

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter Three a/n: Sorry I took so long with this chapter! I have had a lot of people in my family to say this story is a bit confusing. If anyone is confused, TELL ME! By the way, I keep forgetting this! I AM A DISCLAIMER! Like you didn't know that. Anyway, here's the next chapter.  
  
"Firs' years! Firs' years, this way!" Hagrid's voice boomed out to the night.  
"The Heads' are supposed to have a carriage to themselves, aren't we?" Draco said peering around.  
"Over there." Hermione said and they started walking toward it. Just as they reached the thestral drawn carriage the phrase, "Oh, Drakie!" rang out.  
"Oh, no." Draco moaned as a simpering, pug-faced girl ran in his direction. She latched onto his arm before he could get to the carriage. "Pansy, leave me alone, for once in your life!" Draco said firmly.  
"Well, aren't you in a bad mood? Oh," Pansy had caught sight of Hermione. "I bet it's the-"Pansy stopped abruptly as a hand was placed roughly over her mouth, lifted off the ground, and carted away.  
"We'll see you at the feast, Draco!" Goyle yelled as he and Crabbe ran to a carriage carrying Pansy between them. Without a word Draco and Hermione got into their carriage and were off.  
The feast.  
The feast was, as usual, fantastic. Everyone was laughing and talking spiritedly until Dumbledore stood and silence fell.  
"I hope everyone had a good summer and I wish to welcome you all back to Hogwarts!" There was a round of applause and a couple whistles sounded from the Gryffindor table. "I also bid welcome to our first years. I hope that you make them feel at home. Last, but certainly not least, give our new Head Boy and Head Girl a round of applause! Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Draco Malfoy!" Both Hermione and Draco got applause and a couple slaps on the back. "Now, I bid you goodnight!" Dumbledore swept down to the bottom of the stairs as every one was leaving and waved Hermione and Draco to him.  
"I will take you to your dorms. Please, follow me." Dumbledore walked quickly out of the Great Hall closely followed by his two anxious students. Up one flight of stairs, down this corridor, down another flight of stairs, behind this tapestry.  
"Aren't we there yet?" Draco muttered.  
"What do you think?" Hermione said as they neared the end of the third floor corridor. "Oh, no!" Hermione groaned as they stopped in front of the portrait of Sir Cadogan.  
"This is your dorm. I hope you find it to your liking. Your duties as head Boy and Girl is as follows: you must set the other students a good example, you will schedule all events except ones that I authorize, and I expect to get good reports on your behavior." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.  
"Ahem?!" Sir Cadogan said indignantly.  
"Ah, yes! This is Sir Cadogan, I am sure that you, Miss Granger, know what he is capable of?" Hermione nodded and smiled. "If he changes the password I am to be notified and he will be removed. Cadogan, none of those nonsense words!"  
"Humph! Be off with ye then, Dumbledore! I know my orders." Sir Cadogan said huffily.  
Dumbledore consulted his Head Boy and Girl again. "Now, it is up to you to agree on a password. Another thing, I know that you each favor different things so, I have asked Dobby and Winky," Dumbledore winked at Hermione. "to place a few things in each of your rooms. Goodnight." Dumbledore disappeared behind a tapestry.  
"I know a word that no one else will be able to think of." Hermione said.  
"And what would that be?" Draco asked.  
"Baheesheema! It can mean anything you want! I use it a lot 'cause it's my word." Hermione said.  
"Baheesheema? Hm.I like it. What do you say, Sir Cadogan?"  
"I say carry on to your new quarters, Good Sir and Gentle Lady!" Sir Cadogan bowed as his portrait swung forward to reveal a magnificent room. It was bedecked in silver and green, for Slytherin, and scarlet and gold, for Gryffindor.  
Draco smiled at Hermione's awed face. "Impressive, isn't it?"  
Hermione gave him an 'Oh just be quiet!' look that made Draco turn around and start the search for his room. He spotted the Slytherin emblem on above a door on his left. He walked to it and opened the oak door cautiously. His room was a little smaller than the common room. It was also bedecked in the Slytherin colors. His bed was a king bed and all the furniture, including the bed, were made of the same oak as the door.  
Then he saw it. There, in the corner of the room was a handsome desk. Draco walked over to it and opened each drawer in turn: quills, brushes, crayons (his eyes flashed), markers, parchment, muggle paper, and paints. He smiled, he would finally be able to draw, design, and create to his heart's content, without the fear of his work being found.  
Draco had always loved to draw. He had been able to draw excellent pictures since he was very young. There was one thing that had always bothered him about his skill in drawing. He had drawn a precise picture of his childhood friend the first day he had met her. The picture, however, had disappeared a few days after he had left his muggle school. He smiled again and, picking up a pencil and a sheaf of unlined paper, left his room to sit in the common room.  
Hermione went into her room and gasped. Her room also had the Gryffindor colors, and the Gryffindor lion was plastered above her door. The furniture was beautiful mahogany. As she walked further into her room she noticed a few things she was sure wouldn't have been there for any other witch. In front of her bed there was a TV, a VCR, a DVD player, a CD player, and all the tapes, DVDs, or CDs a girl could want. She turned on the CD player and its sound blared in her room and the common room. "I could get used to this." Hermione muttered as she walked back into the common room and sat down at the same time Draco did, although he chose a floor level seat. She watched as he placed a piece of paper in front of him and started to draw as she sang with her CD.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She is the restless river running though my veins She rides without the reins -her name's Juanita She lives in the heart of every woman in the world Within the reach of every girl who wants to meet her  
  
(She's gonna be ridin' through) Her name's Juanita (She's gonna be ridin' free) She's ridin' free (She's inside of you, gonna be inside of me) She's inside of you and inside of me, yeah  
  
Oh, go with her -flow with her Dream with her -scream with her Let her take over, or just get to know her Be everything you can be If you can find her and free her Juanita will unchain your heart  
  
When someone tries to take away the freedom of your choice To take away your voice -that's when you need her She's there if you dare to give your broken wings a try C'mon and take a leap and fly, and you can be her  
  
(She's gonna be ridin' through) Oh, Juanita (She's gonna be ridin' free) Ridin' free (She's gonna be a part of you, gonna be a part of me) She's a part of you and a part of me, yeah  
  
Oh, go with her -flow with her Dream with her -scream with her Let her take over, or just get to know her Be everything you can be If you can find her and free her Juanita will unchain your heart  
  
(Break) (Oh, Juanita) (Oh!)  
  
Oh, go with her -flow with her Dream with her -scream with her Let her take over, or just get to know her Be everything you can be  
  
Oh, go with her -flow with her Dream with her -scream with her Let her take over, or just get to know her Be everything you can be If you can find her and free her Juanita will unchain your heart ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione watched as Draco's hand flew over the paper as she sang, letting his imagination run free. Hermione stared at the picture. Draco's mother stood at one side of the page, while Draco put the finishing touches on another woman.  
"Is that me?" asked Hermione, perplexed.  
"Yeah." Draco muttered. "I guess when you were singing I just wasn't thinking about what I was drawing."  
"Well, I'll give you one thing; you're one heck of an artist." Hermione said as she got up from her chair and started towards her room.  
"Thanks." Draco said as he went to his own room.  
"'Welcome," Hermione yawned and they both closed their doors.  
  
Later that night Hermione started to toss and turn in her bed.  
  
A small boy and girl sat a picnic table eating their lunch when the boy gave a loud belch. His friend started giggling.  
"I swear," She gasped, "you are so rude!"  
"What did you expect? Did you think I would hold it in until I popped?" He laughed. Young Hermione rolled her eyes.  
"You're impossible."  
Young Draco stayed silent while she finished her lunch. Then he blurted out his question. "Hey, Hermione?"  
"Hm?"  
"When we get older do you want to get married?" He said as he stared off into space.  
Hermione turned beet red as she considered his question. She was only seven and someone had just asked her "The Question". She finally came up with an answer. "I would like that, Draco." She said quietly, looking at her feet. He looked over at her and smiled.  
"Good, hey, do you wanna go swing?" Draco stood up and stretched.  
"Sure!" Hermione smiled and jumped up beside him. He grabbed her hand and ran off toward the swings on the playground.  
  
Hermione woke up and tried to stifle a sob. She had almost forgotten that he had asked her "The Question". She smiled. If she ever found him again she just might take him up on his offer if he asked her again. She started crying all over again just thinking about him.  
  
Thanks to my friend Star Derringer for letting me use her word, "Baheesheema", and for her support! The song I used in this chapter is by Shania Twain and it's called "Juanita". If you don't like country then tough!  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	4. Chapter 4

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter Four  
  
By: Teenlaunch  
  
Draco woke up the next morning and dressed slowly. He was dragging already and he would just get worse. He went into the common room and found a sullen faced Hermione sitting as still as a statue, staring off into space in front of her. "Hey Grang - I mean, Hermione, what's up?" He walked over to the bathroom door and looked into the mirror on it.  
  
"The sky, what else!?" Hermione snapped. Draco looked at her.  
  
"What'd I do?! Whatever it was I'm sorry!" Draco ran his hand through his hair, back to front.  
  
"It's not you." Hermione sighed. "I shouldn't have snapped at you." She looked at him and giggled.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're hair. It looks better that way." Hermione said as she stood up and went into her room. Draco turned around and looked into the mirror again.  
  
"Maybe I should change my hairstyle. Hey, do you have any hair gel I could .borrow?" Draco said as a tube of hair gel appeared in front of him. "Thanks", he said and he heard the portrait hole close.  
  
Hermione was quietly eating her breakfast until Ginny gave her a little nudge. "Hey Hermione, what's wrong? You seem really down." Ginny didn't get an answer. "Oh dear." Hermione just stared at her porridge while Ginny and the other girls talked. Then the girls stared giggling and Hermione finally looked up.  
  
Draco was calmly walking into the hall and everyone, including most of the teachers, was gawking at him. Harry and Ron were the ones that were really shocked, but they were soon getting over that and were not trying very hard to stifle their laughter. As Draco sat down at the Slytherin table Goyle watched as Draco piled his plate with food.  
  
"Hey Draco, I like your hair." Goyle said as he pulled at one of Draco's strands of spiked hair.  
  
"Hey, easy on the do." Draco said  
  
"Draco, Granger's looking over here." Crabbe said. Draco looked up and his and Hermione's eyes locked. Hermione broke Draco's gaze and looked up at the teachers' table. Draco imitated her and saw that most of the professors were looking at him.  
  
Snape looked horrified. McGonagall was poking him in the arm while Flitwick waved his tiny hand in front of his face. Professor Dumbledore watched with interest as Madam Hooch bewitched a pitcher of water to float above Snape's head. The entire hall rang with laughter as Snape came out of his reverie sputtering. The laughter died down and everyone started to talk again. A few minutes after Draco had finished eating Pansy came over to him and started crying about his hair.  
  
"The next thing we know you'll befriend a Mudblood." This did it for Draco. He shot out of his seat and practically ran to his next class. "How rude!"  
  
As the class assembled around him Draco kept to himself. Then he heard quiet, urgent voices. Lavender Brown was talking very quickly, obviously hoping that no one would overhear the conversation.  
  
"You promised your mother you would tell her if it happened again. Why won't you tell her?" Lavender said as she and two other girls rounded the corner.  
  
"I don't need a letter from my mom every day asking if I'm alright. You girls badgering me will be enough!" Hermione sighed. Parvati opened her mouth, but Snape's door flew open and cut her off. Draco rolled his eyes when Crabbe and Goyle looked at him; although, he couldn't help being a bit curious about the Gryffindor girls' argument.  
  
Snape came striding into the classroom looking a bit ruffled from the severe drying session in his office after his little incident with the water jug. He stooped at his desk and turned to face them. "Good morning class. Today we will be making magical paints. They can change colors and turn your picture into 3-D, solid mass." Snape flicked his wand and their directions appeared on the board behind him. "Start now."  
  
A few minutes after everyone had started making their potions there was a loud hissing and everyone craned their necks to see what was making the noise. Most of the Gryffindors looked even though they knew what the noise was. Poor Neville was drenched from head to foot in his potion. As Snape advanced on him everyone could see Neville's body shaking from beneath his severely drenched robes. If anyone in the class had researched the potion in their school books they would know that Neville would be multi-colored for a while.  
  
"Longbottom! How does the Headmaster expect me to teach you the most complicated potions there are when you can't even perform the simplest of them!? Detention and clean up this mess!"  
  
Snape walked away and Neville dropped to his hands and knees and started scrubbing the floor in his already stained robes. All the Slytherins were laughing. Draco had been tempted to help Neville many times, but, remembering the consequences, stopped himself. Hermione whipped out her wand while Snape had his back to her and with a wave of her wand cleaned up Neville's mess.  
  
While the potions were brewing Draco watched various things: Neville making a new potion, Hermione, Harry and Ron, Hermione, his own potion, and Hermione. One time, while Draco was watching her, he noticed that Hermione looked depressed and he also saw that she had only touched her potions book when she had needed it. She wasn't acting like her normal book-wormy self. He was extremely surprised to see a tear run down her cheek and she put her head onto her arms. Draco watched as Hermione's body was racked with silent sobs. Parvati and Lavender also watched sadly as Hermione cried until Snape told them off for not minding their potions that were about to boil over the top of their cauldrons. Draco heard laughing and turned around to see Pansy. Draco felt like cursing her but stopped his hand from whipping out his wand as he heard Snape's voice.  
  
"Miss Granger, will you please stop distracting my class." He said softly and Hermione nodded into her arms.  
  
After a while the potions, including Neville's new concoction, were ready for testing. As everyone started painting their picture there was a loud bang and two black blobs landed on the floor next to Neville's cauldron. One blob picked itself off the floor and shook its head. A large pile of flaming red hair appeared as ashes flew off its head. Ron blinked, bent down, and picked Neville off the ground as Snape advanced on him.  
  
"Detention, both of you." Snape said silkily. Ron was livid.  
  
"What, why are you giving me detention?" Snape rounded on Ron.  
  
"Another detention, Weasley." Ron growled at him but sat down, putting Neville in his chair.  
  
Draco doodled and didn't pay attention to what his hand was really drawing until it stopped moving. He looked down and saw something he had not drawn for a long time. A little flea-like creature looked up at him. This flea's name was Rusty.  
  
Hermione didn't pay the least bit of attention to what her hand was doing until it stopped and she looked down. She saw her pet flea looking up at her. This flea's name was Rusty.  
  
After Potions was Care of Magical Creatures class. Honestly this was one of Draco's favorite classes. Of course, he didn't tell anyone else this.  
  
"My picture blew up in my face! Hey, Draco, how did your paints work?" Goyle said as they walked across the lawns toward Hagrid's hut.  
  
"Hm? Oh, it worked fine." Draco was barely paying attention to anything except the conversation that was taking place I front of him, one that concerned Hermione.  
  
"Hermione, you can't keep this bottled up! You'll make yourself sick. You just might no matter what you do. Do you remember last time? It's your choice." Parvati said as she listened to the boys talking about Quidditch.  
  
Hermione sighed. "Alright, I'm listening! But what can I do about it? I can't ask Hagrid if I can skip Care of Magical Creatures. Oh, that's what you wanted me to do don't you? Ok, I'll ask if all three of us can be excused." Hermione walked a little faster than everyone else and disappeared around the back of Hagrid's hut just as Hagrid's foot appeared around the side of his house.  
  
"Yes!" Lavender and Parvati gave each other a high five. As they drew nearer to the hut Hermione came over to them.  
  
"Hagrid said that we're excused. Let's go." Hermione said and the three girls walked to Hagrid's door, the other two supporting Hermione.  
  
'What the.' Draco followed the class to the paddock close to the Forbidden Forest but doubled back to Hagrid's hut once everyone was absorbed in the lesson.  
  
In Hagrid's hut Parvati was flitting around every cabinet looking for a basin. Hermione was leaning heavily on Lavender's shoulder, crying her heart out. Parvati found a huge basin that Hermione recognized as the one Hagrid had lent Ron when his wand had backfired. Hermione sat the basin between her feet and leaned over its top that came up to the middle of her chest. Lavender and Parvati sat down on either side of Hermione as she started to get sick.  
  
Draco snuck around to the back of Hagrid's house and peeked through a window beside the door. What he saw made his stomach plummet and his heart ache. He couldn't help Hermione and since he didn't know what was wrong with her he would be more of a nuisance than a help. As he went back to the paddock a thought struck him. What could have possibly made Hermione so sad and during the night?  
  
The rest of the day went by smoothly. Parvati and Lavender never left Hermione's side. Draco followed them for the rest of the day, hoping to solve the mystery of Hermione's sickness. When dinner came Draco watched Hermione until she left. He had to run at breakneck speed and use every hidden passageway he knew of to beat Hermione to the common room.  
  
Hermione entered the common room, slung her bag from her shoulder and threw it in a chair.  
  
"Hey Hermione," Draco said cheerfully," what's wrong?" Draco asked as she walked right past him without acknowledging his presence. "What a greeting. Hermione please say something."  
  
"All right, something."  
  
Draco lost his patience very quickly. "Why did you cry earlier today?"  
  
"Why do you care?" Hermione said as she walked into her room.  
  
"That's what friends do isn't it? They care about each other and can't stand when the other is down. Am I right?" Draco said as he followed her into her room.  
  
"You're right, but it's just...Listen, I haven't even told Harry and Ron about it so I...I just can't tell anyone else right now. Maybe if you asked me later I'll tell you." Hermione said as she came out from behind her room divider dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.  
  
"Oh, I see." Draco walked out of her room and Hermione sank onto her bed. Draco poked his head back through the doorway. "Will you tell me now?" Hermione picked up the nearest thing to her, which just happened to be her potions book, and threw it at Draco's head. "Touchy!"  
  
a/n: Hey everyone it might be a while 'till my next chapter gets done. My friend told me I should add more in so, for some reason, I'm taking her advice. That means that I still have to write more than half of the next chapter according to her! Oh, well...I better get started! Bye!  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	5. Chapter 5

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 5  
  
By: Teenlaunch A/n: Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers, even the ones that don't own a computer  
  
Over the next weeks Draco and Hermione's friendship grew stronger and stronger. One thing that proved it was Draco's "concern" about Hermione. Today was no different. Since their N.E.W.T.s were taking place this year the Gryffindors and the Slytherins had been put together for all their classes. Transfiguration had become even harder than they imagined it could be. At the moment they were still working on the transfiguration of humans. They were to change their partner into the animal they thought would best suit that person. Professor McGonagall had chosen everyone's partner.  
Ron and Harry kept throwing Hermione's partner disgusted and suspicious looks. Hermione's partner rolled his eyes as they made their way to a corner. "Why are they so suspicious? It's not like I'm going to turn you into a bloody spider!" Hermione laughed softly. "Now what?"  
"I thought that you knew that Ron is arachnophobic," Hermione whispered.  
"You mean that I've missed out on scaring him out of his wits because I didn't know that? I'll just have to fix that." Draco laughed as he imagined pulling such a prank on Ron.  
"Don't even think about it. Come on, I still need to think of an animal that would suit you and Professor McGonagall is almost ready to start."  
"A ferret," Draco muttered, looking at his feet.  
"No way. Not even close. Okay, I think I have one. You're going first, by the way."  
Draco gave her a pouty look. "You just better not turn me into a rat," Draco muttered as he and Hermione faced each other.  
"All right get ready to cast your spell. Okay, GO!" Professor McGonagall said. There was a series of bangs and there were many creatures around the room.  
Draco had his eyes clamped shut. As he slowly opened them he saw Hermione standing a few feet away from him. He tilted his head and she giggled. He tried to give her a questioning look and she must have understood because she shook her head. "Look behind you," she said and Draco turned his head around. There was a white tail swinging back and forth. He followed it with his eyes and soon became dizzy. After a minute Draco realized that he had been turned into a large, gleaming white dog.  
There was a loud growl and a large black dog came up to Draco and snarled. Draco shot around the other dog and it followed. The dog, which Draco soon learned was Harry, chased Draco at top-notch speed. There was an ear-splitting yell and Draco and Harry stopped chasing each other to look around. Ron was scrambling backwards from a spider the size of his head. A raccoon, a lion, and a lizard were chasing after it. The raccoon cut the spider off from Ron and chased it.  
There was a loud bang and everyone turned back to their normal forms. Harry and Draco were a little thunderstruck. Pansy (the spider) was being crushed underneath Parvati (the raccoon). Neville (the lizard) and Dean (the lion) were standing a few inches away, watching in amusement. Crabbe, who had been the ferret, had stayed over in the corner and watched the fray. Draco walked back over to Hermione in a slight daze.  
"Okay, that was.strange." Draco said coming to a halt in front of her.  
"All right, let's try this again with another group of students," Professor McGonagall said from her desk. "Face each other again, raise your wand, and go." There was another series of bangs and, again, a number of animals were sitting around the room.  
Hermione looked up and saw Draco smiling down at her. He crouched down to her level so she didn't have to crane her neck to look at him. "Well, did I get it right?" Hermione looked down at her hands, I mean, paws and saw that they had become small and dainty. Something flicked her ear and she looked behind her to find as tail. Being the genius that she is, she figured out that she was a cat. The tabby looked up at Draco innocently, opened its mouth, and gave a loud meow. Draco smiled. "I'm glad you approve."  
He reached out his hand but hesitated. Hermione, realizing why he had stopped, got up and moved over to his hand. She used her head to nudge his hand and he started to pet her. She sat against his leg, purring contentedly. He smiled as her eyes drifted shut. He knew that she hadn't had many good nights of sleep because he had heard her moving around.  
There was a crash and both Draco and Hermione bolted. A spiny mouse (I ran out of animals) and a water dragon were battling an otter, a robin, and an owl while a weasel stayed off to the side. Hermione and Draco heard Professor McGonagall sigh and Hermione sprinted back across the floor to a spot a few feet away from Draco. Professor McGonagall pointed her wand pointed her wand at the muddle of animals on the floor. There was a bang and Lavender (the robin), Ron (the owl), Seamus (the otter), Goyle (the weasel), Millicent (the spiny mouse), and Blaise (the water dragon) appeared. The bell rang and the class filed out of the classroom. Hermione approached Professor McGonagall cautiously.  
"Um. Professor?"  
"Yes Miss Granger?" the professor said rifling through the papers on her desk.  
"I-I was wondering. if you could help me become an animagus?" Professor McGonagall looked up at Hermione a little startled.  
"That depends. I could help you start it today but we would have to notify the minister."  
"But, Professor, do you really think it wise to be registered when there ore so many of Voldemort's supporters around and." Hermione stared out of the window beside her.  
"And what, Miss Granger? Do you have a secret that you don't want anyone to know about or something?" Hermione knew that the professor was losing her patience.  
"I just need to get away from the world sometimes, away from all the pain." She let a single tear run down her cheek.  
"Are you trying to tell me that Mr. Malfoy is trying to hurt you?" Professor McGonagall said quickly.  
"No! Oh, no, actually we've-"  
"Have you, by any chance, become friends?" Professor McGonagall said excitedly. Hermione nodded and McGonagall beamed at her. "I think we had better go to lunch. I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore. You are to come to my office tonight so that we can start your potion." Hermione looked up at her surprised.  
"You're going to let me do it? Thank you! If you don't mind me asking, how long does it take to brew the potion?"  
"Two weeks tops. It mostly depends on when you get a sample of the animal you want to become."  
"That's the easiest part."  
When they reached the Great Hell, Hermione saw Draco sitting on the steps just outside of the doors. He seemed to come out of a daze and stood up when he saw Hermione. "Great, just great," she said as he walked towards her. Professor McGonagall disappeared into the Great Hall with a smile plastered on her face as he came to a halt in front of Hermione.  
"So, where've you been?" Draco said. Then he noticed the tear streaks on her face. "You've been crying again."  
"No I haven't." He gave her a skeptical look. "Just leave me alone," she said as she stomped past him to go and look for Crookshanks.  
A few minutes later Hermione was on all fours on her bedroom floor looking for Crookshanks. She stuck her head under the bed and grumbled. "Where is that cat?" Suddenly there was a yell, a hiss, a loud bang, and a groan.  
"Hermione, your cat just tried to take my hand off! Is he always like this? Ah!" Draco jumped and held the cat at arms length away from his face as the cat tried to take off his nose next.  
"Actually, that's how he used to play with Ron." Hermione said as she came out of her room clutching her head. "Come here you." She said taking Crookshanks away from Draco with both hands, leaving her head unattended.  
"What happened to your head?" Since he had been too preoccupied with Crookshanks, he hadn't heard the loud bang.  
"I was just under my bed waiting for you to scare the living daylights out of me. My poor head." She said cradling the cat with one arm and nursing her head with the other.  
"Oops." Draco said as he realized what had happened. Hermione sighed and handed Crookshanks back to Draco. "Hey. Don't hand this thing to me!" he said. Hermione just ignored him and went into her room where she sat down on her bed. Taking a glass vial from her trunk she gathered a few of Crookshank's hairs form her robes, placed them in the vial, and put it away after the vial was closed.  
Over the next few weeks Hermione went to see Professor McGonagall every night. Under McGonagall's careful watch and instruction Hermione completed her potion. Finally the night came for her to drink it. She added Crookshanks' hair to the potion and drank it down in a few great gulps. After a few minutes the professor came over to Hermione and looked her over.  
"Well done so far. Now, I recommend that you do not eat anything until tomorrow. Come straight to me tomorrow when you wake up. Goodnight."  
The next morning Hermione woke up early and found that she was very excited. She rushed to get dressed, grabbed her bag, and went to Professor McGonagall's office. She was very surprised to see Dumbledore standing outside the door.  
"Ah, good morning, Hermione! I have asked to oversee your first transformation with Professor McGonagall. That is, if we are ever let in." Dumbledore said and the door opened. Hermione, followed by Dumbledore, entered the office.  
"Hermione, we must hurry. Stand at the center of the room. You may start whenever you are ready, although it must be in the next five minutes." Dumbledore said as he sat down in a chair beside Professor McGonagall.  
Hermione closed her eyes and focused on becoming a cat. She could feel herself shrinking and then it stopped. She heard applause and then the shuffle of feet. Hermione opened her eyes and looked up at her smiling audience.  
"Well done, Hermione! Very nice work! Ah, look at the time. I must be going. I will see you both later." Dumbledore turned on his heel and left. Hermione, although reluctant to leave her new sanctuary, transformed back onto herself.  
"Do not tell anyone about this, Miss Granger, and, just as a small prize, 100 points to Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall said as she and Hermione started walking breakfast. "I am a little surprised you managed both the potion and the transformation so well. I suspect Sirius had something to do with this?" Hermione nodded. "Is it true that's what saved him from Bellatrix Lestrange?" Hermione nodded again.  
"It was a big shock that it was him, as a dog of course, on my front porch. It was just this summer."  
~flashback~  
Hermione woke up one morning, expecting to do some shopping at the mall or something but got a big shock when she stepped out onto her front porch. A large, black dog was lying on her steps. The dog looked up at her and its eyes turned bright. It slowly got to its feet and wagged its tail feebly. Despite his large body frame he was very thin and ragged looking. He started to walk to the door, and Hermione, on shaking limbs.  
"What do I do? I can't leave him out here," she said to herself. The dog reached the door, put his paw on the doorknob, and turned it. The door swung open and the dog went inside, leaving behind a shocked Hermione. After she had recovered, Hermione rushed into the house and found the dog sitting on the family room couch.  
She sighed, "You remind me of Snuffles, you know?" The dog seemed to give her a look that said 'I know something you don't know.' Hermione walked into the kitchen and looked everywhere for a bowl for the dog but had to settle for a large plastic cup. Since the dog would probably make a mess and get her in trouble Hermione decided that the dog would have to eat in the kitchen so she went to get him. When she walked into the family room she screamed.  
"What in the world was that for, Miss?" The man on her couch said and he put a hand to his head. "You'd think you'd seen a ghost." The man in front of her had long, matted, black hair; a gaunt face; and sunken eyes. He smiled weakly at her and she, half crying, ran into his arms.  
"Oh, Sirius! How- we thought you were dead!"  
"So did I! I still don't know how I survived, or how I got out of the Ministry for that matter!" Sirius gave a bark-like laugh. "Hermione, listen," Sirius said, "don't tell anyone, not even Harry, that I'm alive. The professors and some of the members of the order will know and only some. It's for the best." Hermione nodded and went to get him some food.  
~end flashback~  
"That's exactly what happened. I even had to keep him in my room." Hermione said as they reached the Great Hall.  
"Very interesting. Oh, my! Miss Granger, I made you miss breakfast! You're supposed to be in Charms! Hurry!" The professor said and Hermione shot off like a bullet. Five minutes later she was outside her Charms classroom. She opened the door quietly and saw Professor Flitwick perched on top of his pile of books. Everyone was in pairs, except for one person, Draco Malfoy. She groaned as both the professor and Draco started to walk towards her. They both reached her at the same time.  
"Miss Granger!" Hermione opened her mouth to explain but Flitwick cut her off. "No excuses! I was told by the headmaster just before class. Today you are doing the disillusionment, or camouflage, charm. Mr. Malfoy is your partner." Hermione suddenly grinned. It was because Draco had been so nosy that she had become an animagus in the first place, right? Maybe it was time to pay him back.  
"Okay, I guess I'll go first again. Anytime you're ready." Draco said as Flitwick walked away. Five minutes later it was Hermione's turn. "Ready? Okay." Draco mumbled the spell and Hermione vanished. "Hey, where'd you go?" Hermione didn't answer him and snuck to his side. She made sure that he was looking around the room for her before giving him a quick peck on the lips. "What the-?" Draco's eyes widened as he spun on the spot, but Hermione had already gone.  
"Come on, Draco! I want to be back to normal." He turned back around and performed the counter curse. Hermione reappeared and smiled angelically at him. "Slowpoke."  
One week later. Professor Binns was droning on and on about another goblin rebellion. The room was filled with a sleepy silence as always. Draco drifted so far into his daze that he absentmindedly picked up a book. Hermione looked over at him as he mumbled.  
"O ee a su me a o ee a su me a su." There was a dull bonk and everyone looked at Draco, well, the book covering his face. There were a few giggles and chuckles around the room while Binns droned on. Soon everyone drifted back into a daze but Hermione looked at Draco as he slowly lowered the book.  
"You okay?" she whispered.  
His expression didn't change as he answered. It was blank. "Ow." Hermione stifled a giggle as he reached up and touched his sore nose. His eyes were watering in pain. After five more minutes of the torture called History of Magic, the bell rang.  
  
Hey, I hope you liked it! Oh, by the way, My friend BaBy BuSh, who used to be Star Derringer, gave me most of the ludicrous ideas in this chapter. Thanks for reading.  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	6. Chapter 6

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 6 By: Teenlaunch  
  
It was Halloween and Hermione was very excited. Everyone was going to be dressed up for the day and they were finally getting a permanent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. As Hermione put on her costume she thought about the dream she had had the night before.  
  
flashback  
  
"There you are, Mr. Malfoy. I thought that you weren't coming and were going to leave your friend alone today." Draco's teacher was always bubbly and everyone had liked her from the very first day. She wasn't strict like some people Draco knew. "Sorry." It was Halloween. He wouldn't have missed it for anything. Draco took his seat beside Hermione and she smiled at him. He registered in an instant the fact that his and Hermione's outfits, more or less, matched. She was dressed in a blue witch robe whereas Draco was dressed in his own black wizard robe. Both had a hat and a fake wand.  
  
end flashback  
  
'That happened to get my father suspicious. He just blew it off, luckily. He still didn't have a clue what was going on.' Draco thought as he put on his costume. 'That's why I picked this costume. Forbidden love.'  
  
'Forbidden love, yes, those are the right words. The main thing I remember about him is that his father forced him to leave. I wonder why?' Hermione shrugged, grabbed her things, and rushed out of the dormitory.  
  
Hermione had to skip breakfast and was in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom before everyone else. The class would start assembling soon and she had to be an assistant to the new teacher. The door of the classroom swung open and Draco strode in. He froze in his tracks when he saw Hermione sitting behind the teacher's desk.  
  
"Okay, I'm seeing things." Draco shook his head. "Okay, one; what are you supposed to be and two; why are you behind the teacher's desk?"  
  
Hermione looked at him and her eyes grew wide. "I'm supposed to be Juliet and, no offence, but I think Romeo had better stay on the opposite side of the room."  
  
"None taken." Draco said as he sat in the front row. "You still haven't answered my other question."  
  
"I have to introduce our new teacher."  
  
"Oh-" Draco's sentence was cut off as the class piled into the classroom. After everyone had sat down someone yelled over the babble.  
  
"Hey, you aren't our teacher, Mudblood!" It was Pansy. Hermione looked up.  
  
"Oh, I'm afraid you're right! How ironic." Hermione said and everyone looked at her. The room became deadly quiet.  
  
"Why are you behind the teacher's desk, Hermione?" Ron asked.  
  
"I have been told to introduce and assist our new teacher. Hm?" Hermione turned her head to the door and so did everyone else. The room stayed quiet, as if holding its breath. The sound of soft footfalls could be heard. The door had been left ajar and a long nose poked through the crack. The door was edged open and a black dog strode into the classroom. It stopped beside Harry for a moment and then passed him. Everyone watched as the dog went behind the desk, reared on its hind legs, and placed its front paws on the desk. It looked around at every student and its gaze lingered on Harry.  
  
"Everyone, meet your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Hermione braced herself for the impact of the other students' objections. There was silence until Ron burst out.  
  
"We're being taught by this DOG?! Are you mad? Are you sick?" Everyone started talking at once.  
  
"It's absurd!"  
  
"Ridiculous!"  
  
"Dumbledore's lost what was left of his marbles!"  
  
"Enough!" There was a loud growl following this statement. Everyone looked back at Hermione and the dog, but there was no dog. A man with long, black hair; sunken eyes; and a strict face was beside her. Harry's and Ron's mouths dropped open and Hermione tried to stifle a giggle. The man's face relaxed. "What's wrong with being taught by a dog?" There was silence. "That's what I thought. Now, on to business. Does anyone know who I am?" A few hands inched into the air, three to be exact. "Hermione?"  
  
"Sirius Black." Hermione said as she watched tears run down Harry's face.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Snuffles." Ron answered.  
  
"Harry?" Sirius said slowly.  
  
"Padfoot." Harry struggled to get it out because he was so chocked up.  
  
"Correct, all of you. Why are you sitting there like you're made out of stone? You'd think they'd seen a ghost. Right, Hermione?" Sirius winked at her and she smiled.  
  
"Sirius, you're-you're dead." Harry said.  
  
"Hm, I am? Let's see." He pinched himself. "Ow! No, I don't think I'm a ghost. That hurt!" Harry's and Ron's faces broke into wide smiles. Harry and Ron ran to the front of the room and embraced Sirius. Sirius returned their embrace tightly, which was no easy feat owing to their costumes; Harry a knight and Ron a werewolf. "Watch it. I just got nursed back to health. You're liable to make me sore again, ruffians!" Sirius' bark-like laugh sounded and almost everyone jumped. "Okay, better get to work." Harry and Ron took their seats. "Hermione, can you pass those quizzes out?" There were a lot of groans. "Come now. Believe me, they're not what you think. I'll even take it."  
  
"But, Professor Black, that doesn't make sense. You already know all the answers." Draco said.  
  
"Actually, I don't know the answers." Everyone gaped at him. "Hermione, please pass out my quiz." Hermione handed them out and a couple people laughed. "And you thought it would be this big educational thing." He rolled his eyes. "When you finish it put it at the edge of your desk please. Oh, Hermione," Sirius motioned for her.  
  
"Yes, Sirius?" Hermione laid the remaining papers on his desk.  
  
"Add this question to yours." He handed her a small bit of paper. "Let's just say that I'm a bit nosy." She sat in the only seat left available, beside Draco. Hermione looked down at the scrap in her hand and smiled. It said: 'What animal?'  
  
"Does anyone want music on? I just got a new toy that I'm dying to use. Anyone mind?" Most of the class didn't even know what he was talking about and didn't answer. "Okay." Sirius took out a small radio from his desk drawer, turned it on, and sat it down. Hermione's eyes grew wide as she listened to the song but tried to stay focused on her paper while hoping that no one else was paying attention to the song.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hey Juliet Hey Juliet  
  
Hey I've been watching you Every little thing you do Every time I see you pass, in my homeroom class Makes my heart beat fast I've tried to page you twice, but I see you roll you're eyes Wish I could make it real, but my lips are sealed That ain't no big deal  
  
Cause I know you really want me I hear you're friends talk about me So why you trying to do without me When you've got me, where you want me  
  
Hey Juliet, I think, you're fine, you really blow my mind Maybe someday, you and me could run away I just want you to know, I want to be your Romeo.Hey Juliet! Hey Juliet  
  
Hey Juliet  
  
Girl you've got me on my knees Beggin' please, please, please Got my best D.J. on the radio waves Sayin' hey Juliet, why do you do him this way Too far to turn around So I'm gonna stand my ground Give me just a little bit of hope With a smile, or a glance Gimme one more chance  
  
Cause I know you really want me I hear you're friends talk about me So why you trying to do without me When you've got me, where you want me  
  
Hey Juliet, I think, you're fine, you really blow my mind Maybe someday, you and me could run away I just want you to know, I want to be your Romeo.Hey Juliet! Hey Juliet  
  
Hey Juliet  
  
I know you really want me I hear you're friends talk about me So why you trying to do without me When you've got me, where you want me  
  
You don't have to say forever For us to hang together So hear me when I say Hey, hey, hey Juliet Hey Juliet  
  
Hey Juliet, I think, you're fine, you really blow my mind Maybe someday, you and me could run away I just want you to know, I want to be your Romeo.Hey Juliet! Hey Juliet Hey Juliet, I think, you're fine, you really blow my mind Maybe someday, you and me could run away I just want you to know, I want to be your Romeo.Hey Juliet! Hey Juliet  
  
Hey Juliet Hey, hey Juliet Hey Juliet Hey, hey Juliet Hey Juliet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione's head was resting on her arms. She had raced through her paper and her mind had started focusing on the song. She was deeply regretting it though. Her head was spinning. Memories poured into her head, memories of her childhood. There was one phrase that she knew that both she and her mystery boy would have changed. The song wouldn't say, 'You don't have to say forever'. It would have said, 'Please say you'll stay forever'. She cried into her arms. The bell rang and Hermione wiped her eyes on her sleeve as she sat up. A hand was placed on her shoulder and Hermione looked up into Draco's concerned eyes. "You alright?" He said softly.  
"Yeah." Hermione mumbled.  
"Let's go." Hermione turned around and saw Lavender and the other girls waiting for her.  
"I guess I'll see you later, Draco. I have to go be tortured by them now." Draco nodded and watched Hermione walk away with them.  
"Mr. Malfoy, since you're still here would you mind picking up the quizzes for me?" Sirius said while flitting through his cabinet behind his desk.  
"No, Sir." Draco started going from desk to desk, collecting the papers when he saw Harry and Ron coming to the front of the classroom from their seats in the back.  
"I still think I'm dreaming, Ron. I saw him.die right in front of my eyes." Harry was saying quietly.  
"If you're dreaming then so am I. He felt real enough." Ron said throwing Draco a contemptuous look as they passed him.  
"It could be a prank, polyjuice potion, you know?"  
"I don't know. Wouldn't it have worn off by now? When we made it in our second year Herm-"  
"Shut up!" Harry hissed, looking back at Draco.  
"What was that? I didn't quite catch the last part." Draco said putting his hand to his ear.  
"Shove off, Malfoy." Harry said as he and Ron stood in front of Sirius' desk.  
"Now, boys. Thank you, Mr. Malfoy." Sirius said as Draco laid the papers on his desk. As Draco turned to leave he heard Harry and Ron arguing.  
"Why'd you tell me to shut up?" Ron said defiantly.  
"Because Malfoy probably heard you."  
"What does that have to-Oh."  
"Yeah, 'Oh'." Harry lightly shook Ron by the shoulders. "Wake up! What do you think he would do if he found out that he hadn't really been talking to Crabbe and Goyle?" Draco slipped silently through the door and headed toward lunch. Double Defense Against the Dark Arts had been pretty interesting.  
Hermione walked to the Great Hall with the other girls in silence. Hermione's thoughts had been on her childhood until Ginny said something about Draco Malfoy coming toward them. Hermione looked up and came face to face with Draco.  
"Hello, I need to talk to you." Draco said to Hermione.  
"About what?" Hermione said.  
"Just come with me." Draco pointed to an open door. He walked in and closed the door after Hermione was in with him.  
"Well?"  
"I was just helping Professor Black when I heard an interesting piece of information. Polyjuice Potion?" Draco saw Hermione gulp visibly.  
"W-what P-polyjuice Potion? I don't know what you're talking about." Hermione stammered.  
"Hermione, why must you give everyone around you a headache, even when they already have one?" Draco said.  
"Fine, so I helped Harry and Ron make a Polyjuice Potion in our second year. What about it?" Hermione snapped.  
"Why did you make it?"  
"To spy on you." Hermione mumbled. "They thought you were the Heir of Slytherin."  
"Me, a descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor, the Heir of Slytherin? You must be joking!" "You're a descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor?" Hermione giggled. Draco looked horrified and turned his back to her so she wouldn't see him blushing.  
"What's it to you?"  
"Sorry, Mr. Grouch. I was just a bit.surprised. Let me guess, your mother's side?" Hermione said. Draco nodded.  
"I have a little secret. I've always wanted to be in Gryffindor. Gryffindors don't have to hate." He said lowly.  
"That's true, but you don't have to hate either. That's your father, not you." Hermione said as she placed a hand o his shoulder.  
"You're right." He sighed. "I've let my father rule my life for so long I've forgotten what it's like to listen to myself, live by my own standards."  
"You haven't forgotten." Draco looked at her. "If you were following your father's rules you wouldn't be talking to me right now, let alone looking at me."  
"What do you mean?" Draco said, turning around and Hermione's hand fell to her side.  
"When have you ever seen your father look at me when he isn't insulting me?" Hermione said.  
"Never."  
"Exactly." Hermione said. Her stomach gave a loud growl and she blushed. Draco chuckled and she slapped his arm lightly. "Oh, shut up. You would be hungry too if you hadn't eaten since dinner yesterday."  
"Why is that, may I ask?" Draco said putting his hand on the doorknob.  
"I had to get to the classroom early. Honestly, you are really out of it today." Hermione said as he opened the door.  
"Later, Granger." Draco said as he brushed past her.  
"Later, Malfoy." Hermione said as she turned toward her friends. She was surprised to see that she was being given many curious stares. "Uh, hey, Ginny, I like your Ariel costume." Ginny smiled.  
"Thanks." Ginny looked down at her costume. "I like Lavender's though." Lavender smiled as she looked down at her own fairy costume.  
"Well, what about Parvati's?" Lavender said. "She even used a charm to turn her hair black and make it shorter."  
"I did too you know." Padma said as Parvati twirled around in her dress. "Except my hair is the same length it's always been."  
"Tell me, how much do I look like Snow White?" Parvati said.  
"Pretty close." Hermione said.  
"Don't forget about me." Padma said, fixing her bothersome shoes. "You're Princess Jasmine, right?" Lavender said and Padma nodded. "Beautiful."  
"I know who you are," Hermione said looking at Luna, whose bangles and earrings jangled as she looked at Hermione. "Esmerelda."  
"That's right." Luna said dreamily. "I thought it sort of matched my personality."  
"Hey, what about everyone else?" Hermione said as they started walking. "Let's see. Seamus is a vampire, right?"  
"Yeah, and Dean's a pirate." Parvati said.  
"Have you seen Neville?" Lavender giggled. "Marshmallow Man."  
"Oh, and Pansy! She's a medieval princess. Like she needed to have another ego boost." Ginny said.  
"The only other people know what they're wearing is Crabbe and Goyle. They're a ghost and a ghoul. I want to see what the teachers have on." Padma said as they reached the Great Hall. They walked inside and were met with a hilarious sight. The staff table was full of an assortment of costumes. They were as follows:  
McGonagall: Bell  
Dumbledore: Yellow M&M  
Snape: Mummy  
Hooch: Hawk  
Flitwick: Dwarf  
Hagrid: a Cyclops  
Sprout: Flower  
Sirius: Dog form (Snuffles) Etc.  
"Hey, what do little kids say when they see Snape?" Hermione said.  
"I don't know." Luna said.  
"Mummy!" Hermione laughed. "Get it? He's dressed as a mummy and kids cry for their moms." The girls' laughter was mingled with the boys' as they came up behind them. They all walked to their tables laughing.  
"That was really good, Hermione." Dean said.  
"Thanks."  
  
Four weeks later.  
"Alright, class is dismissed. Have a good Christmas break!" Sirius said as the bell rang and everyone started leaving. Hermione had taken to eating late ad started walking toward the Heads' dorm. She was climbing the stairs when someone called after her.  
"Hey, Hermione, wait for me!" Draco called as he struggled to catch up with her. "Why are you skipping dinner again?"  
"I just don't want to eat with everyone else. Is that a crime?" Hermione said as they reached the third floor.  
"No, I was just wondering if it had anything to do with our first day back." Draco said and Hermione looked away. "Will you please tell me?" She looked at him.  
"No, I've told you a hundred times-"  
"A hundred and three-"  
"-that I'm not telling you yet."  
"Please?" He gave Hermione his best puppy-dog pout and Hermione was taken aback.  
"No." Draco gave an exasperated sigh as they reached Sir Cadogan's portrait.  
"Hm." A red-headed girl snuck down to the Great Hall.  
"Well, how is she?" Lavender whispered as Ginny sat down. Parvati looked around and Padma, who was right behind her sister sat up straight.  
"She's fine." Ginny whispered. "Malfoy was pestering her though." Padma spun around in her seat.  
"What? What was he doing to her?" She whispered.  
"He didn't do anything, except call her Hermione." The other girls' mouths fell open. "They were acting like they were really good friends. I think we need to find out what's going on."  
"So do I. he could have used a curse on her to make her be friends with him." Parvati said.  
"I don't know. We've never spied on anyone before. What if we get caught? Hermione would be so upset." Lavender said.  
"We'll just have to not get caught." Ginny said. "We'll split up. Let's just not tell Luna. She's not very.coordinated."  
"You're right; it won't take long to figure this out anyway. We'll start tomorrow with me and Padma following Malfoy and you two following Hermione." Parvati said quickly as she noticed that the boys were getting interested in their conversation.  
"Okay, we have to do this. If we don't Hermione might get in way over her head." Lavender said.  
  
The next day.  
The girls woke early to follow Draco and Hermione. They sat outside the Heads' dorm for what seemed like an hour before the portrait was opened. Hermione walked out. "Come on!" Ginny said and she and Lavender left to follow her. Shortly after, Draco left as well. By nightfall nothing exciting had happened.  
"Can we just stop tracking her now? We already know that they're friends because they've only talked sensibly to each other." Lavender said.  
  
"No!" Ginny said. They were down in the dungeons and it was very dark. "Look, we've lost Hermione!" A cat streaked past her. "Come on, let's go eat dinner." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Parvati, we've been following him for hours! Can we go yet?" Padma whined.  
"No, we're almost done!" Parvati said. Suddenly, there was a strangled yell and a loud hiss.  
"What the-cat?" Draco said as he got to his feet and brushed himself off as the cat whisked away.  
"Draco, is that you?" Hermione said as she came around the corner.  
"Hm? Oh, hey, Hermione. Did you happen to see a cat go past you?" Draco said looking around.  
"No, I think you're seeing things."  
"Maybe you're right. I really should stop eating on an empty stomach." Draco said as they started walking. "Very funny, now move!" Hermione punched his arm lightly.  
"Ow! Professor Snape, she hit me!" Draco said adopting a whiny voice while rubbing his arm. Hermione started laughing and he gave her a strange look before starting to laugh himself.  
"Did I just miss something?" Padma said as they rounded the corner.  
"If you did so did I." Parvati answered as Ginny and Lavender appeared around another corner. "You two will never believe what just happened."  
  
Hey, hope everyone liked this chapter. It was a lot longer than I thought it would be. There are also a lot of jokes in here that you probably don't understand because you don't know BaByBuSh, but that's another story. Anyway, REVIEW! Later!  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	7. Chapter 7

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 7 By: Teenlaunch  
  
Hermione stood outside the castle watching her fellow Gryffindors' snowball fight when she heard someone walking toward her. She turned around and saw Draco. "What are you doing out here?"  
"Enjoying the scenery." Draco said.  
"Uh-huh, right." Hermione said. "What are you really doing out here?"  
"Fine, I came to ask you a question, all right? I think I know why you were crying the first day." Draco said with a triumphant smile.  
"Oh really, enlighten me." Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.  
"I think you have finally figured out that Potter is head over heels for someone else." Draco said. 'I hope this works.'  
"Why are you so brain-dead?!" Hermione said as she grabbed two handfuls of snow and threw them at his head. One hit Draco in the face while the other hit his hair and flattened it.  
"You are so gonna pay for that!" Draco said as he grabbed his own handful of snow. He threw it at Hermione but she ducked and ran. "Oh, so it's a fight you want, is it? Bring it on!" Draco ran after her, each hand loaded with ammunition. Soon Draco found himself on the Quidditch Pitch. "I know you're here somewhere! Come on out, you can't hide!" Hermione ran out from under her cover and threw more snowballs at him.  
Five minutes later.  
"When are you going to give up?" Draco panted as he tried to keep up with Hermione.  
"Never, probably." Draco raced forward, grabbed her arm, and she tumbled to the ground with him. They tumbled down a small hill and landed on their backs with Hermione's head on Draco's chest. Hermione giggled.  
"What's.so funny?" Draco panted  
"You, I never thought I would have a snowball fight with Draco Malfoy."  
"Right back at you. Anyway, we had better get back up tot the castle, I'm freezing." Draco said as Hermione got up, grabbed Draco's hand, and helped him up.  
"Hermione!" Ron called. "Where are you?"  
"Oh, pooh on you!" Hermione muttered.  
"Well, see you later." Draco said and he ran up to the school and disappeared as the Gryffindors came around the corner of the Quidditch Pitch.  
"There you are, Hermione. Where were you when I got Harry right in the face?" Ron asked.  
"And why are you so wet?" Ginny asked.  
"Let's just say I got ambushed, by one person." Hermione ran up to the school and headed to the kitchens. She opened the door and heard many unpleased squeaks.  
"Oh, Miss!" Dobby said as he came up to Hermione with a fresh change of clothes for her. "Oh Miss! You is soaking! Change into this and gos up to yours dorm. I will bring you and Master Malfoy refreshments."  
"How did you know to get me a fresh change of clothes?"  
"I is not knowing, Miss. Please change befores you is getting sick and Mrs. Narcissa and Mrs. Granger is getting mad ats Dobby!" Hermione's brain processed this as she changed in a closet of the kitchen. She walked out of it to find Winky waiting for her.  
"I is sorry about Dobby, Miss. He cans be a little snitch at times. I told him to leaves yous and Master Malfoy alone, but, oh no! He hads to watch yous! Humph!" Winky calmed down and pointed to a tray with various sweets and hot chocolate on it. "I will accompanys you to your dorm."  
"Thanks, Winky. Let's go." A few minutes later Hermione and Winky reached Sir Cadogan. "Baheesheema." Sir Cadogan bowed and his portrait swung forward. Hermione walked in with Winky at her heels. Draco, who was sitting on the couch, looked up from his sketch, which he quickly hid in his bag and slid it out of sight.  
"Hey, already dry, are you?" He said as he watched as Winky sat the try on the table in front of him.  
"Yes, thanks to Dobby, I might add." Hermione said, sitting down beside him. "You sure got dry in a hurry yourself."  
"That's because, like some people I know, I don't take all day drying my hair and stuff like that." He smiled.  
"Hm, I don't think you should have any of this from the house elves, since you obviously are in no danger of catching cold." Hermione said sarcastically. Draco gave her a pouty look and she sighed. "Thank you, Winky."  
"You is welcome, Miss!" Winky vanished from sight.  
"Here." Hermione handed Draco a mug of hot chocolate.  
"Thanks, and hey, just because I look all warm and toasty sitting here it doesn't mean I still wouldn't appreciate some sort of reward."  
"Reward?"  
"Yeah, I beat you in our little match. I deserve something." Draco took a big gulp of his hot chocolate. "Gah! Hot!"  
"No kidding, Genius! And, wait, I thought I won that little snowball fight."  
"No, I won."  
"No, I did!"  
"I did!"  
"I did!" Draco and Hermione passed the night laughing and joking.  
One week later.  
Hermione was doing her Christmas shopping in Hogsmead. She had finally gotten everyone's gifts, except Draco's. She decided to go to the muggle shop, run by a young witch, named Tonks. When Hermione walked into the shop she saw that it had everything a muggle could ever want.  
"Hermione, oh it's so nice to see you again!" Tonks said as she popped up behind the counter. Her hair was spiked and bubblegum pink as usual.  
"It's nice to see you too Tonks. Hey, do you have anything that I could get for one of my guy friends?" Hermione said.  
"Hm.a guy friend, huh? Have you thought about getting him something that has to do with his hobbies or his personality?" Tonks said.  
"No, actually, I haven't. Do you have an art kit?" Hermione asked and Tonks bent down behind the counter. She came up with a briefcase in her hands.  
"This is our art kit. It does look small, but that's one of the many benefits of being a witch or wizard." She undid the latch on the box and rack after rack of art supplies sprang up. As Hermione watched, the racks grew until they were four feet high. Hermione's jaw dropped. "Like I said. Anyway, it has everything a spectacular artist could need."  
Half an hour later Hermione said goodbye to Tonks and took her purchases to the coaches to have them taken to her dorm. She was just thinking about dropping by The Three Broomsticks to rejuvenate her freezing body when she heard faint noises coming form the Shrieking Shack's hill. She climbed the hill and gasped into her scarf. Harry and Ron had Draco pinned to the cold, hard, snow laden ground. They were taking turns punching him. Finally, one of them spoke.  
"What have you done to Hermione? Why is she always so sad? I know you have something to do with this! Tell me and no lies this time." Harry said.  
"I already told you. *cough* I don't know what's wrong with her!" Draco said.  
"You're lying again! I bet you cursed her!" Ron yelled, punching Draco.  
"Ron! Harry!" Hermione shrieked.  
"Hermione! I, um."Harry said as he left Draco shivering and bleeding in the snow. Ron reluctantly followed him.  
"As you can see, I am perfectly fine. Which means that you beat him up for no reason, am I correct?" Hermione said as she strained herself to be calm.  
"No reason? After everything he's done to us you say that we beat him up for no reason?" Ron asked, horrified.  
"Be that as it may no, I repeat, NO violence is tolerable. Now, I'll meet you later in The Three Broomsticks." Harry and Ron walked down the hill slowly, conversing in low tones. Once Hermione was sure they were gone she rushed over to Draco. The snow around him was deeply tinted in red and his cloak lay in tatters a few feet away. "Oh, Draco, those two have held a horrible grudge against you. Can you sit up?"  
"No idea." Draco muttered.  
"There's only one place I can take you at the moment." She conjured a stretcher. Five minutes later, they were outside Tonks' shop. Hermione took Draco into the warmth and he relaxed.  
"W-where are we?" Draco asked looking around at all the strange objects around him.  
"A store that sells muggle things." Hermione said as she went over to the counter and rang a bell.  
"I don't like how quiet it is."  
"Well, hello!" Hermione popped up beside Draco, making him jump out of his skin.  
"Hermione, but.I thought you were." He looked over at the counter and saw Hermione with her head in her hands. "If the real Hermione's over there then, who are you? Her twin?" Draco said as he looked back at Hermione's duplicate.  
"Nope, I'm Tonks. Nice to meet you! Oh," Tonks said as she screwed up her face and the next second she was back to looking like, well, Tonks. "Much better. So, what can I do for you, Hermione? I only saw you.what.ten- " Hermione shook her head. "Oh." Tonks walked over to Hermione and Hermione whispered something to her. Tonks' eyes grew double in size. "They.I don't believe it! You need to go talk to them. Go on, go. We'll be fine here. Buh- bye!" Tonks said, ushering Hermione to the door. After she had left Tonks turned back to Draco. "Now, let's get you fixed up."  
"Hermione!" Draco yelled.  
When Hermione got to The Three Broomsticks she found Harry and Ron sitting in a corner of the pub. She sat down and they both gave her an odd look. "So, what do you have to say for yourselves?  
"What do you want us to say?! That we're sorry for beating up Malfoy, after all he's done to everyone that's not in his house?!" Ron said, his voice rising with each syllable.  
"You two have held that grudge long enough! I'm leaving. One more thing, I'm taking 10 points from Gryffindor." Hermione said s she walked up to the bar.  
"What?!" Harry and Ron gasped. Hermione sighed.  
"Hello dear, what can I get you?" Madame Rosemerta said from behind the bar.  
"Three butterbeers to go, please." Hermione took out her purse to pay for them as she watched Madame Rosemerta put them into a case.  
"Here they are, dear. This case will keep them piping hot for you. Thank you! Bye!" Madame Rosemerta waved to Hermione as she left.  
"Thank you!" A few minutes later Hermione entered Tonks' shop for the third time that day. "Tonks?" Neither Tonks nor Draco were anywhere to be seen.  
"Hermione!" Tonks popped up behind the counter, again.  
"Ah! Don't.do that!" Hermione said with her hand over her heart.  
"Sorry, anyway, I got him patched up, but I think he needs some company. He was really on edge with me." Tonks said fiddling with her hair. "Okay, here." Hermione opened the container in her hands and handed Tonks a butterbeer. She walked slowly to Tonks' office. "Draco?" Hermione asked tentatively through the crack in the door. "Hey, can I come in?"  
"Huh.Oh, sure, why not?" Draco said cheerfully.  
"That's the worst cover-up I've ever heard." Hermione said as she walked into the room. Draco was lying on the couch, his shirt open to reveal some sloppy bandage work. With a fire blazing to his right, Draco looked at her questioningly.  
"What do you mean?" He said as he struggled to sit up. Hermione helped him and propped him against a pillow before she answered.  
"I've tried hiding pain before, both physical and emotional. I can see straight through other people's cover-ups." Hermione sat down beside him and Draco shook his head.  
"While we're on that-" Hermione glared at him and he changed the subject quickly. "Isn't that friend of yours a little clumsy?"  
"No," Hermione acted shocked. "you think?!" Hermione pulled the last two butterbeers from their case and handed Draco his.  
"Thanks." Draco accepted his butterbeer, took a drink, and stared into the fire for a few minutes before speaking again. "Why did you help me? I deserved it, you know, even if I haven't cursed you." Draco fell into silence again and Hermione sighed heavily.  
"Friends forgive each other, no matter what." Draco looked at Hermione and saw her sad face.  
"It looks like I'm not the only one in pain around here." He said quietly.  
"I'm fine. Just worry about those wounds. Listen I've got to go back up to the castle. If you need help getting back to the castle tell Tonks." Hermione left before Draco could say anything.  
In Gryffindor Tower.  
"I can't believe this! Hermione took 10 points off her own house! Her own house!" Ron sat in a chair, fuming, his face as red as his hair.  
"Why did she do it though? She wouldn't have done it if she didn't have a reason." Ginny asked from behind Ron.  
"You still haven't told us." Lavender said, also behind Ron. She reached over his chair and started massaging his shoulders, relaxing him, she smiled.  
"Why would she take points off her own house if there wasn't a reason?" Dean said from his chair.  
"Let's put it this way. Why won't you tell us what you did to get Hermione to take the points away?" Parvati said from behind Dean. Ron and Harry looked at each other. They had agreed that they wouldn't tell anyone about their fight with Malfoy. "Their silence means it was something bad, bad enough to get Hermione mad, really mad." Seamus translated.  
"It did get me mad, Seamus. Listen guys, I know he's insulted us in the past, but why should you hold a grudge this long?" Hermione had walked through the portrait hole and was standing behind Harry's chair.  
"What's that, Hermione? These two won't tell us what happened." Ginny said.  
  
"Well." Hermione was cut off by Ron as he started making noises. "Ron." She walked over to him and stomped down on his foot with her heel.  
"Yowch!" Ron bolted upright and looked at Hermione furiously. "What was that for?!"  
"Don't play with me, Ron. These two beat up Malfoy today." As she had expected, there were a few chuckles from the boys.  
"Serves him right." Dean said.  
"Oh, you think it's funny, do you? What do you think would have happened to you if Malfoy told Snape who had beat him up?" There was silence. "That's what I thought." Hermione turned to leave.  
"Hermione, I think he's cursed you." Harry muttered.  
"Yeah, right." Hermione laughed as she left. Hermione entered the Heads' dorm a few minutes later and found Draco asleep on the couch. She crept to her room and went to sleep. When she woke up the next morning she went into the common room to find Draco. "What's wrong?" Draco pointed to the notice board.  
"It was put up in every common room today. It was the only event that we didn't have to authorize." Hermione read the notice quickly. It read:  
  
A Christmas Ball will be taking place this year.  
Date: Christmas Night  
Time: 6 p.m.-12a.m.  
Place: Great Hall  
Performers needed! If you would like to perform at the ball please see Professor McGonagall.  
Professor Dumbledore  
Headmaster  
  
"What's so bad about that?" Hermione said as Draco picked up a goblet of pumpkin juice and took a big gulp. "You can go with Pansy." Draco chocked on his pumpkin juice.  
"Are you mad?!" Draco sputtered. "I'd rather go with the Giant Squid!"  
"I don't know who to go with. I'll probably just go by myself."  
"Why not go with Potter or Weasley?"  
"Ginny and Lavender have those two in the bag, you watch. That's who they'll go with."  
"I probably won't go with anyone either. It's better that way." Draco said as he got up and went to his room. He closed his door, took out his diary, and started scribbling.  
  
Dear Diary,  
Today our subject is Hermione. Why do I feel like this when I'm around her? I feel like I've known her for my whole life. I feel safe, content,.at home, when I'm with her. I've got to go. I'll write when I have more time.  
  
~Dragon~  
  
That's the end of this chapter. I'm getting there. Too much typing, my hand hurts. Anyway, I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can.  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	8. Chapter 8

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 8 By: Teenlaunch a/n: I want to say thank you again to all my reviewers. I appreciate them all.  
  
It was Christmas morning. The entire castle was bedecked in decorations. Everyone was very excited about the ball later that evening. Draco and Hermione awoke and found a pile of presents at the end of their beds. Draco was halfway through his pile when he found Hermione's gift. Sure he had gotten her something, in addition to what he had made, but he honestly hadn't expected to get anything from her. The presents beneath Hermione's he didn't touch, which were from his father and Pansy. At the bottom of the pile was a gift from his mother. The card was full of mystery.  
  
Dear Draco,  
  
Happy Christmas! I hope you're having a good year at school. You're letter about the ball was very amusing. I just can't believe you're not going with anyone. Oh well, I think you might want this for tonight. It is Christmas, might as well look the best you can! I almost forgot, wear your bracelet. Have a good time with her!  
  
Lots of love,  
Mom  
  
"But I'm not going with anyone." He shrugged and opened the box that the letter had been attached to. Inside it was a tux. "She has got to stop reading those muggle magazines."  
Hermione, meanwhile, was opening her gifts and was surprised to find one from Draco. Inside of his package was a portrait, a portrait of her. She was standing in front of an ocean; the ocean was the same color as the sunset above it, a light blue dress was floating around her portrait self. Hermione was astonished, amazed, and touched. She smiled to herself. Draco really did have a talent for capturing the beauty of things he couldn't even see. She set the picture down carefully and started to move its box out of her way. There was a faint rattling noise in the bottom of the box. She looked inside it and found a smaller box. She opened it and found a silver bracelet with blue sapphires made into it. 'I wonder.' Hermione thought but shrugged off her curiosity by picking up a package from her mother.  
  
Dear Hermione,  
  
How are you? Having a nice year? I do hope so. Thank you for your letter about the ball. Here is a little something you might like to have for tonight. I hope you like it. Oh, one more thing, don't forget to wear your necklace tonight.  
  
Lots of love,  
Mom  
  
Hermione's curiosity didn't die down this time. Why would her mother have reminded her to wear her necklace and why did she send her something special to wear to the ball? Hermione shrugged again and opened the box. Inside was a black dress, with a v-neck collar, that came to rest a bit above her knees.  
When the time came Draco left the common room and went down to the Great Hall, wearing his tux and with his hair spiked, but only a little. He was so busy trying to figure out how he was going to lose Pansy that night that he didn't notice that Hermione hadn't left yet. Hermione was just putting the last touches to her hair before she left.  
It was in a bun, just like it had been for the Yule ball in her fourth year, but she had taken a couple extra steps this year. She had taken some silver ribbon and rapped it around various strands of her hair. A few ribbons were in her hair that was in the bun, but she personally favored the ones in the two small tendrils of hair that were hanging down, and curled, around her face. When she entered the Great Hall she noticed that she was getting a lot of stares from a lot of boys. She did have to admit that the dress she had on was a bit different than many people had seen around Hogwarts. She smiled broadly as Ginny walked up to her.  
"Look at you. I don't think anyone recognizes you. Whoa," Ginny said as she spotted the bracelet on Hermione's arm. "who gave you that?" Hermione was saved the trouble of answering as Professor McGonagall walked up.  
"Miss Granger! You're up first!" She ushered Hermione to the side of the small stage that had been erected. Dumbledore was giving a small pep talk as Hermione was supplied with a bewitched microphone and walked onto the stage as Dumbledore left it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I remember last Christmas Eve Something happened that I couldn't believe I went for a walk as the snow came down And when it stopped I was in a different town  
  
And a sign said have no fear You're not lost you're here  
  
Walking this Christmas Down Santa Clause Lane No need to wonder No need to exclaim Just have some faith in what you see You're right here where you want to be Walking this Christmas Down Santa Clause Lane Down Santa Clause Lane  
  
Elves were standing in the streets Snowmen and reindeer came out to greet Silver bells chimed from far away As Santa rode by on an open sleigh  
  
And he told me have no fear You're not lost you're here  
  
Walking this Christmas Down Santa Clause Lane No need to wonder No need to exclaim Just have some faith in what you see You're right here where you want to be Walking this Christmas Down Santa Clause Lane Down Santa Clause Lane  
  
I don't know how I don't know when But one day I'll be back again  
  
And he told me have no fear You're not lost you're here  
  
Walking this Christmas Down Santa Clause Lane No need to wonder No need to exclaim Just have some faith in what you see You're right here where you want to be Walking this Christmas Down Santa Clause Lane Down Santa Clause Lane Down Santa Clause Lane Down Santa Clause Lane Down Santa Clause Lane Down Santa Clause Lane Down Santa Clause Lane ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Hermione finished singing Draco was staring, awestruck, at the necklace around her neck. He had know right when she walked on from the side of the stage that she was Hermione, but he hadn't seen her necklace clearly until she had turned to face the sea of students. He had been so stupid. There was no other word for it. His mother had told him that she was a witch and he should have figured that she was a muggle-born. His eyes widened as he remembered Parvati's words. 'You can't keep this bottled up! You'll make yourself sick. You just might no matter what you do. Do you remember last time? It's your choice.' Then his mind was flooded with the memory of Hermione in Hagrid's hut. He had made her sick, he had made her cry, and he had been the reason that she was sad all the time. He hung his head. 'There must be a way to tell her who I am without having to confront her and be rejected on the spot,' Draco thought. 'That's it!'  
  
Sorry if this is a bit short. The next few chapters will be just like this one. Short and stupid. Anyway, until next time!  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	9. Chapter 9

The Dragon's heart: Chapter 9 By: Teenlaunch  
  
Draco walked up to stage and pleaded with Professor McGonagall to let him perform even though he wasn't on the schedule for the night. She finally gave in and handed him a microphone. As he turned to the stage he realized he was trembling. He rolled up his sleeves until his bracelet was visible. He could see Hermione sitting with her small group of girls off the side of the stage at a small table. Draco walked onto the stage and came to the middle of it. Hermione gave him a questioning look and he gave her one full of courage, joy, and anxiety back as he started his song.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well I went down to the Grundy County Auction Where I saw something I just had to have My mind told me I should proceed with caution But my heart said, "Go ahead and make a bet on that!"  
  
An' I said, hey, pretty lady, won'cha gi'me a sign I'd give anything to make you mine all mine I'd do your biddin' an' be at your beckon call Yeah, I never seen anyone lookin' so fine Man, I gotta have her, she's a nine, she's a ten, I know She's got ruby red lips, brown hair, brown eyes An' I'm about to bid my heart good-bye!  
  
Well, the auctioneer was goin' about a mile a minute He was takin' bids an' callin' them out loud An' I guess I was really getting' in it 'Cause I just shouted out above the crowd!  
  
An' I said, hey, pretty lady, won'cha gi'me a sign I'd give anything to make you mine all mine I'd do your biddin' an' be at your beckon call Yeah, I never seen anyone lookin' so fine Man, I gotta have her, she's a one-of-a-kind I'm goin' once, I'm goin' twice, I'm sold on the lady in the short black dress Well she won my heart it was no contest With her ruby red lips, brown hair, brown eyes Well I'm about to bid my heart good-bye! **********************************************  
Hermione's eyes had tears welled up and ready to spill out. When she had seen Draco's bracelet she had begun shaking with silent sobs. She looked up at him and smiled. He smiled as he sang the next line, although he hadn't seen Hermione smiling at him.  
  
********************************************** Yeah, we found love on the school house block An' I hauled her heart away Now we still love to laugh about The way we met that day  
  
When I said, hey, pretty lady, won'cha gi'me a sign I'd give anything to make you mine all mine I'd do your biddin' an' be at your beckon call Yeah, I never seen anyone lookin' so fine Man, I gotta have her, she's a nine, she's a ten, I know She's got ruby red lips, brown hair, brown eyes An' I'm about to bid my heart good-bye! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco walked off the stage and went behind it after he had handed Professor McGonagall his microphone. He hit his head on the wall. Why did he have to do that? She was probably so mad at him she wouldn't want to see him ever again. This was all his father's fault. Why did he have to bow down to him when he was little? He sighed; he knew he would have to face her sooner or later. Hermione sat in her chair, trying to avoid her friends' eyes, while trying to hide her own shock.  
"Hermione?" Ginny said tentatively. Hermione got up and walked away slowly, heading toward Draco. She had wanted to find him, ever since the day he had left. Now that she knew he was Draco she was shocked, but happy. She had been stupid. All the signs that linked him to her childhood friend had been right in front of her. The most obvious one of all was her necklace. Draco meant 'Dragon' in another language. The only thing that worried her was his reaction. She knew his father couldn't stand to be within a hundred feet of. She knew Draco wasn't his father but she wondered how he would swallow this situation, none-the-less.  
Draco felt a hand on his shoulder and he went rigid. It was her. He knew that when he turned around he was going to see Hermione. Why had she come to get him? It didn't make sense. She should hate him for leaving, for being the reason she had been sick so often, and for all the years of torture he had put her through. Still, she came to him. Why though? He turned around and his eyes met Hermione's tear-filled ones. He couldn't bring himself to break the silence.  
"How long have you known?" Hermione said as her hand fell to her side.  
"A couple minutes longer than you have," he said quietly as he looked away. "I'm sorry."  
"Sorry, for what?"  
"For everything. If you'd never met me-"  
"If I'd never met you what?! I would be the happiest person alive?! I don't think so. I probably wouldn't have ever had a friend in the would, someone more than a friend." "I've caused you so much pain. I-I don't know how you can forgive me."  
"Haven't you learned anything, Draco?" Draco looked back to Hermione. "I'll always forgive you."  
"But I've hurt-"  
"Love was not meant to be painless, Draco." Hermione couldn't hold her tears in any longer and they spilled out to flow steadily down her cheeks. Draco swept Hermione into his arms and held her as close to himself as he could. She cried into his shoulder. "I love you, Draco. I always will."  
"I love you too." A few tears rolled down Draco's face.  
"Promise me that you'll never let anything tear us apart again."  
"I won't, I swear, nothing will take you away from me ever again, nothing." Draco muttered contentedly as he swayed to the music with Hermione in his arms. Her arms were around his neck while his were around her slender waist. Hermione's head rested on Draco's shoulder while she listened to Ron sing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I see the questions in your eyes I know what's weighing on your mind But you can be sure that I know my part 'Cause I'll stand beside you through the years You'll only cry those happy tears And though I'll make mistakes I'll never break your heart  
  
I swear By the moon and the stars in the sky I'll be there I swear Like the shadow that's by your side I'll be there For better or worse Till death do us part I'll love you with every beat of my heart I swear  
  
I'll give you everything I can I'll build your dreams with these two hands We'll hang some memories on the wall And when there's silver in your hair You won't have to ask if I still care 'Cause as time turns the page my love won't age at all  
  
I swear By the moon and the stars in the sky I'll be there I swear Like the shadow that's by your side I'll be there For better or worse Till death do us part I'll love you with every beat of my heart I swear I swear By the moon and the stars in the sky I'll be there I swear Like the shadow that's by your side I'll be there For better or worse Till death do us part I'll love you with every beat of my heart I swear  
  
I swear I swear ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco and Hermione stopped dancing slowly. Then, to the surprise of both Draco and Hermione, Draco kissed Hermione. They stayed in this compromising position for what seemed like forever. Then, there were some gasps, a few of which turned into unsuppressed giggles. Hermione and Draco looked around and saw Parvati, Padma, Ginny, Luna, Lavender, Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle. The boys' jaws were on the floor and the girls' faces were red from giggling so hard.  
Hermione turned back to Draco and he kissed her again, even more deeply. There was a thud and they broke apart again to find Neville on the floor and Crabbe and Goyle's eyes the size of dinner plates. Hermione turned, again, to Draco and saw that he was looking at her anxiously.  
"Sorry.I didn't mean to-" Hermione placed a finger to Draco's lips.  
"Hush." she cooed. "Why do you always act like you've stopped the world from turning when you've done something right?"  
"I've never done anything right." Draco heard the spies slip away.  
"You've never done anything wrong in my eyes." Hermione smiled. "My mother told me once that love forgives and forgets when it has been hurt. Can you forgive me?"  
"For what?"  
"'For what?' For being a stupid, useless Mudblood." Draco's body stiffened and his arms, that were still around Hermione, pulled her even closer to him.  
"Don't ever say any of those things about yourself ever again." He said in a deadly whisper that didn't faze Hermione.  
"But it's the truth."  
"No, no it's not and you know it." Draco reluctantly let go of her. "Come on, let's go enjoy the rest of the ball."  
"Okay, Hermione muttered. Draco took her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. Hermione blushed and smiled as Draco led her to a table off the side of the stage.  
  
That was the sappiest thing I have ever written and it gets sappier. I need to have my head looked at. I am nuts! Anyway, I know what you're thinking, 'That was the stupidest thing I've ever read!' You're right. Review please! Flames are welcome.  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	10. Chapter 10

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 10 By: Teenlaunch a/n: Sorry for the long wait.  
  
Draco and Hermione talked for a while and their conversation turned to their childhood.  
"Hey, do you remember that time that I got stuck on the monkey bars?" Hermione laughed.  
"How could I forget?" Draco said, "I was the one that broke your fall! Not the best experience in my life."  
"Sorry, my hands slipped."  
"I bet they did."  
"Are you calling me a liar?"  
"Sort of."  
"Enough bickering. How you two stood each other when you were young I have no idea." Hermione and Draco turned and saw their spies sitting behind them.  
"How did you get back-"  
"Never mind that. I was just wondering, have you noticed how many death glares you've gotten tonight?" Ginny asked as yet another girl walked past Hermione and looked very disappointed.  
"I sure have. It's not possible to miss it. Where's Pansy?"  
"I haven't seen her all night. Just when she came in," Padma said.  
"That's strange. I was sure she would have interrupted already."  
"Oh, look, here comes the titanic terror herself," Draco whispered. "Come on." Draco stood up and, just as she rose out of her chair, dragged Hermione onto the dance floor. Draco took both Hermione's arms and put them around his neck while he snaked his own around her waist. This time it was Harry singing to a very red Ginny. Draco started to sing softly to Hermione as well.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ They read you Cinderella You hoped it would come true That one day your Prince Charming Would come rescue you You like romantic movies You never will forget The way you felt when Romeo kissed Juliet All this time that you've been waiting You don't have to wait no more *****************************************  
Hermione turned very red and put her head onto Draco's chest. He smiled as he continued to sing. ***************************************** I can love you like that I would make you my world Move Heaven and Earth if you were my girl I will give you my heart Be all that you need Show you you're everything that's precious to me If you give me a chance I can love you like that  
  
I never make a promise I don't intend to keep So when I say forever, forever's what I mean I'm no Casanova but I swear this much is true I'll be holdin' nothin' back when it comes to you You dream of love that's everlasting Well baby open up your eyes  
  
I can love you like that I would make you my world Move Heaven and Earth if you were my girl I will give you my heart Be all that you need Show you you're everything that's precious to me If you give me a chance I can love you like that  
  
You want tenderness- I've got tenderness And I can see through to the heart of you If you want a man who understands You don't have to look very far  
  
I can love you I can I can love you like that I would make you my world Move heaven and Earth if you were my girl I will give you my heart Be all that you need Show you you're everything that's precious to me I can love you like that I would make you my world Move Heaven and Earth if you were my girl I will give you my heart Be all that you need Show you you're everything that's precious to me If you give me a chance I can love you like that I can love you like that I would make you my world Move Heaven and Earth if you were my girl I will give you my heart Be all that you need Show you you're everything that's precious to me If you give me a chance I can love you like that ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~  
Draco kissed Hermione on the head and, making sure Pansy was gone, walked out of the crowded dance floor with Hermione's head resting on his shoulder. "What do you say we go to our common room? It is getting kind of late." Hermione nodded. When they reached Sir Cadogan's portrait they found him snoring loudly. Hermione rapped the side of the frame.  
"What?! What villains dare to wake me?! Who dares to.Oh, so sorry, must have dosed off. Uh, yes, password?" Sir Cadogan said as he jerked from his slumber.  
"Baheesheema," Draco yawned and the portrait swung forward.  
"That was indeed very strange." Sir Cadogan muttered as he drifted back to sleep.  
  
Again, very short. Anyway, just wondering, can you tell that I'm obsessed with John Michael Montgomery? In the last chapter I had to change a few of the words to fit the story. Thanks for reading!  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	11. Chapter 11

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 11 By: Teenlaunch  
  
When Draco woke up the next day he found Hermione sitting on the couch, already dressed, busy writing on a piece of parchment that was spread over her lap. "What in the world are you doing up so early?"  
"Writing," she muttered.  
"I'm not that stupid."  
"Could have fooled me," Hermione mumbled, while hiding her face so that he didn't see her smile.  
"I resent that." Hermione snorted. "What are you writing?"  
"A letter to my mother."  
"Why are you writing to her, to tell her about me?"  
"She already knows about you. Why would she want to hear about you again?"  
"I resent that too."  
"Will you stop saying that?"  
"What if I don't want to?"  
"I'm already mad at my mom; don't make me mad at you."  
"Sorry. Can I see the letter?"  
"Why?"  
"I just want to see it."  
"Alright, here," Hermione handed him the letter as she got up and went to her room. Here is the message it foreclosed:  
  
Dear Mother,  
  
I was very happy to get your gift. Thank you! I wonder if you knew that I would meet the most wonderful guy there. (Draco smiled) I guess you've had a lot of fun communicating with Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy over the years while you knew what was going through my head every day. Yes, I have put the pieces together and I'm not happy with you. I should have read that letter when I found it last year. You know, the one that said: to: M.G. and from: N.M. I knew you would remember.  
Tell me one thing; I don't think you kept it from me because Mrs. Narcissa told you we shouldn't know. I want to know why you didn't tell me, the real reason. Were you scared, were you unsure about my choice, or were you just being overly protective? You told me you hated when your mother was overly protective, how she didn't let you stay out until midnight like your friends got to. You did the same thing to me that she did to you. I just want a decent answer. I'll see you later.  
  
Your daughter,  
Hermione  
  
P.S. - Oh, you won't believe what Professor McGonagall helped me do! She taught me to-  
  
"Draco, don't read the P.S.! Please!" Hermione came sprinting into the room. Her face pale, she snatched the letter away from him.  
"Hey, come on, give it back! I was almost finished!" Draco tried to get it back, but failed. "Why can't I read the P.S.?"  
"Because, I promised Professor McGonagall I wouldn't tell anyone." Hermione turned her back to him.  
"Hermione, what are you hiding now?"  
"I'm not hiding anything," she mumbled as she walked to the window.  
"Yes, you are." Draco walked over to her and his arms encircled her waist. "Tell me, please?" He saw her bite her lip, the way she always did when she was thinking.  
"I don't know what to do. In a way you already know my little secret."  
"What?"  
"I guess I'll have to show you.again," Hermione said as Draco let her go. "You've seen me once. I guess it can't hurt for you to see me again." Draco just watched her as she laid the letter on a table with her back still to him.  
She turned toward him and he jumped when he saw that his eyes had turned yellow. She gave him a small smile before closing her eyes and beginning to shrink. Draco watched in amazement as Hermione transformed into a cat right in front of his eyes. She looked up at him and then turned her head away in shame. Draco gazed at her openmouthed as she transformed back into a human.  
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she mumbled. "Professor McGonagall told me not to say a word."  
"It's alright," Draco said jerking out of his daze. "You did the right thing. Hey, wait," he said as he walked over to her and lifted her head to where she was looking him straight in the eye. "It was you! You were the cat that scared me half to death that night in the dungeons!"  
"Busted." Hermione smiled. Draco's eyes flashed and she started backing away from him.  
"Oh no you don't. You're not getting away that easily," Draco said playfully as he started advancing on her.  
"Eep!" Hermione turned and started running toward her room. She transformed quickly as Draco continued to chase her. He chased her into her room and around the room once before she dove beneath her bed.  
"No fair." Draco whined as he got down to his hands and knees to look under the bed. He got up and sat with his back against her bed. "I don't like this." Just then Hermione leapt form the top of her bed onto the top of Draco's head. "Hey!" She jumped down in front of him and ran out the door. "I don't think so."  
Hermione ran down the stairs, transforming quickly. She looked around for a hiding place. The only one she could find was under a blanket on the couch, and she took it. Draco came thundering down the steps and then he stopped. He scanned the room and finally found Hermione. He smiled as he crept over to her.  
"Hm.I wonder where she could be." Draco stopped beside the open side of the couch. He quickly stooped down and started tickling her mercilessly.  
  
"Stop!" Hermione gasped. Draco sat down next to her squirming form, his hands never stopping their attack. The blanket over Hermione's face fell down as Draco answered her.  
"Not until you tell me that I win!"  
"Fine! You win! You win!" Hermione gasped for air as he stopped his assault.  
"One more little catch," Draco said. "I want a prize," he said mischievously.  
"Or what?" Hermione asked, uncomfortably aware that his hands were on her hips, ready to be put back into action  
"Or I'll quadruple the size of my prize. Come to think of it, I just might do that now." He leaned down and pressed his lips against Hermione's softly. Their soft, innocent kiss quickly developed into a heated makeout session. Unbeknownst to the two teenagers inside their dorm a heated argument was taking place right outside their door.  
"Sir Cadogan, I demand that you let me enter! I must make sure that they are not killing each other!" McGonagall raged.  
"My Lady, I promise you that they are both fine! Besides, the noises have stopped completely!" Sir Cadogan fumed. "You have also told me that you do not know the password. I can not let you in!"  
"I am Deputy Headmistress! I have the authority here! You will let me in if you do not want the Headmaster involved in this!"  
"Alright, alright! Just leave Dumbledore out of this!" Sir Cadogan swung forward.  
"Thank you," McGonagall said. She entered the Heads' dorm, but didn't hear Cadogan muttering to himself.  
"Might have torn my canvas to shreds if I had told her what they were really up to. Poor woman, might go into a frenzy."  
  
Okay, I am officially weird. What am I talking bout?! I've always been like that! Anyway, the next chapters are really weird. Thanks for reading!  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	12. Chapter 12

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 12 By: Teenlaunch  
  
McGonagall stopped dead in her tracks when she walked into the common room. Her two top students were lying on their couch, engaged in lip lock. Hermione's hands entangled in Draco's hair, Draco with one hand behind Hermione's head, the other on her back, beneath her shirt. McGonagall started slowly backing out of the room. Draco and Hermione either didn't notice her or chose to ignore her altogether. She closed the portrait hole quietly and Sir Cadogan smiled sheepishly at her.  
"You knew that they were- were.Did you?!" McGonagall sputtered.  
"Well-that is-I mean-" Sir Cadogan stuttered.  
"You did know! Why didn't you tell me?!"  
"I didn't know how you would react. Besides, they have a right to their privacy."  
"You're a fine one to talk about privacy! How did you find out what they were up to, huh?! Did a bit of spying, did you?!"  
"For your information I did no spying at all, Madam! I am not as dense as people make me out to be!"  
"When did this start?"  
"Today, nothing like this has ever happened."  
"Very well; not tell them I was here." McGonagall bowed slightly to him and left.  
"She took it better than I thought," Sir Cadogan said.  
Draco had Hermione sitting in his lap with his face buried in her hair. Draco finally broke the silence. "Hermione?"  
"Yes?" Hermione answered quietly.  
"Are we-you know-together?"  
"It would be hard.with me being a Mudblood and all-" Draco growled in his throat, "but I would like to be officially together," Hermione muttered. Draco looked at her and saw that her face was red. He smiled.  
"Good. Because I am going to keep that promise I made to you last night. Does that sound good?"  
"Extremely."  
"Listen, we both know that this is going to have to be .kept under raps for a while. I know it will be hard, but we have to try. We should probably go talk to our 'spies', don't you think?"  
"Probably."  
"You're not going to move are you?"  
"Nope."  
"Come on, please?"  
"Make me." Hermione smiled.  
"Oh, I'll make you alright." Draco started their playtime all over again.  
"Why do you-always-tickle me?" Hermione laughed.  
"Because it's fun to see you at my mercy." Hermione fell backwards onto the couch and Draco sprang up but kept tickling her.  
"You're nice!"  
"Only to you." Draco leaned down close to her. "What happens now?" His hands fell onto the couch. Hermione kissed him again. When they broke apart Hermione had an odd look on her face.  
"Why do you always get what you want?" Hermione and Draco both got up.  
"Because I am Draco Malfoy! Come on, let's go get them." They were halfway to the Great Hall when a thought struck Hermione.  
"Draco, where are we going to talk to them at? There's no place we can go."  
"Oh." Draco sank deep in thought as he leaned against the wall until Hermione started muttering to herself. "Would you mind speaking up? I see your mouth moving but I don't hear any sound."  
"We need a map."  
"A map? Why do we need a map? We don't even know where we're going!"  
"Why must you question everything I say, all I said was that we need- "  
"This map?" Ginny appeared in front of Hermione and Draco and thrust a piece of parchment in her hands before disappearing again.  
"How did she do that?" Draco looked behind a tapestry to find the nothing.  
"Never mind that! Look what she gave me!"  
"It's a piece of old parchment!"  
"Don't let Fred and George hear you talking like that, just fair warning. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Hermione tapped the parchment and a spider web of lines started branching out across the paper.  
  
The Marauders Map  
Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs  
  
This heading appeared at the top of the map. Draco just stared at it. "What just happened?"  
"I'm not answering that question." A while later Draco, Hermione, and their 'gang' were seated comfortably in the Room of Requirement with the girls singing at the top of their lungs. You know what song, that little annoying one teasing you about being girlfriend and boyfriend.  
"Draco and Hermione, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Hermione pushing the baby carriage!"  
"Enough! I'm the one that's supposed to be pushing the baby carriage." Draco's companions went bug eyed for a second until they started laughing uncontrollably.  
"Where in the world did that come from?!" Hermione screamed as she and Draco continued to laugh.  
"I don't know. At least it got those lumps to stir. I thought they might be dead."  
"Hey Draco, are you really Hermione's childhood friend? Ginny didn't explain it very well last night," Neville said.  
"Yeah, I am Hermione's childhood friend. Why do you ask?"  
"I was wondering why you left that muggle school in the first place. I mean, what was the point?"  
Draco frowned slightly. "I left because my father found out that I was going to the school. Well, being who he is he demanded that I be taken out of the school. My mother told him that I was going to finish the rest of the year there and he agreed. A few weeks later he found out about my 'muggle' friend at the school. He saw me talking to her one day and that did it for him. When I got home I thought fireworks had gone off in the house. My room was a mess. My mother's things were thrown everywhere. My father had obviously been searching for something. What it was, I don't know. He wasn't in the house and when we didn't see him for two months school ended. I had to say goodbye to Hermione."  
"I never would have been able to do that," Neville mumbled.  
"I wasn't even sure that I would see Hermione again. I just had to trust what my mother said. She told me that the necklace that I had given her would bring us together again. I also knew about a prophecy that was made when I was born. It said something about me committing the ultimate crime against my family name and my father making his final decision. I don't really understand it but.I guess I'll find out sometime or another," Draco sighed.  
"Let's get off this subject," Hermione said.  
"Yeah, listen, we'd better be getting back to Gryffindor Tower," Ginny said as she stood up.  
"Us too," Goyle grunted.  
"One more thing before we leave. Are we all like.friends now? I mean, it will be hard for them when everyone finds out. Shouldn't we, at least, be on the same side since we're okay with this? No one else will understand," Parvati said.  
"You're right. That would be stupid. All in favor of no more rivalry between all of us here say 'I'!" Lavender said.  
"I!" Everyone answered. ***************************************************************  
Three weeks went by quickly for the newfound allies. Draco and Hermione were very happy until a meeting in the Room of Requirement.  
"You need to tell them! The longer you wait the madder they'll be!" Ginny yelled.  
"You think we don't know that! What do you want us to do? Walk up to them in the corridor and say "We're in love! Have a nice day!" and walk off?!" Draco yelled back.  
"Stop being funny!"  
"I'm not being funny!"  
"Enough! You've both got your point across! What we need is a sensible plan, " Lavender said.  
"Hey Neville, do you happen to have a galleon with you?" Hermione asked.  
"Why do you need a galleon?" Neville asked while groping around in his pockets.  
"Oh, I don't need just any old galleon. I need a special one of yours, one you've had for about three years." Neville's eyes widened in realization. He pulled out the galleon and examined it.  
"It says January 30. That's exactly two weeks from today and they're always the first ones here. You can tell them then!" Neville said as he realized that was exactly Hermione's plan.  
"Exactly."  
"I just totally missed the point," Draco sighed.  
On that set date Draco, who had had the plan explained to him very thoroughly, and Hermione went to the Room of Requirement to wait for the DA's leader to get there. "They'll be here any minute." Hermione muttered as she wrung her hands.  
"Calm down." Draco put his hands over hers.  
"What are you talking about? I am calm. I am collected. I am lying!"  
"Then relax," Draco said as he pressed his lips against hers and kissed her hungrily. She collapsed into Draco's arms, forgetting her worries and giving in to him. A couple minutes later there were footsteps and voices outside the door.  
  
a/n: Hope you liked it! Please review!  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	13. Chapter 13

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 13 By: Teenlaunch a/n: Okay, listen here. The conflict in this story is gonna be pretty small. Sorry to disappoint you. I'll try to do the best I can but I can't promise anything. Another thing, a lot of people must think that Harry and Ron know already, well guess what? They don't! If you read the last chapter though you should know what's coming. Sheesh! On with the story!  
  
"What the-? Why's the door here already?" Harry's voice came from the other side of the door as he stopped in front of it.  
"I don't know. Maybe we should find out!" Ginny tried to suppress a giggle. Harry still didn't open the door.  
"Come on, Harry! Who cares why the door's already here?! Just open the darn thing, before a teacher comes along!" Ron stomped his foot.  
"Alright, alright! I'm opening it! Keep your shirt on!" Harry opened the door and the light from the corridor flooded the semi-dark room that they were entering. The beam of light fell across Draco and Hermione who did not take notice of their audience. The realization of who, and what, they had walked in on hit the newcomers hard, most of them anyway. Colin, standing close to Harry, who was at the front, started clicking away with his camera madly. The others stood in the doorway trying to grasp words to catch the two's attention.  
"Aw." A few soft, girlish voices broke the silence of the group and Draco and Hermione looked up. Hermione went rigid when she spotted Harry and Ron.  
"It's okay. Just keep your cool," Draco whispered. The two waited for the explosion, but it didn't come. Harry, Ron, Dean, Seamus, Colin, and Dennis were standing in the doorway, still trying to grasp words. Draco finally broke the tense silence. "That was a bit rude, you know. Haven't you ever heard of knocking before?" Hermione took in a sharp breath. The boys opened their mouths in outrage and started yelling all at once but Ron's voice drowned the others out.  
"Rude?! RUDE?! WE were RUDE?! Rudeness is nothing compared to what you have done, Malfoy! You've went too far this time! How dare you!" Ron yelled, his face as red as his hair.  
"Oh, I touched a nerve," Draco muttered.  
"And you, Hermione!" The other boys had stopped trying to have themselves heard as Ron turned his eyes upon her. "Have you forgotten what he's done to you?! How can you let the SLTHERIN that has caused you so much pain even be within 100 feet of you?! WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU?!"  
"Ron, I-" Hermione sputtered as she fought tears.  
"What caused you to let this filth touch you, KISS YOU?! I thought that you, HERMIONE GRANGER, had more sense than this! This scum isn't fit to wipe the grime from DOBBY'S FEET!"  
"ENOUGH!" Harry and Hermione yelled.  
"Go ahead, Hermione. Answer him," Harry said his piercing green eyes full of hurt, anger, and misunderstanding. "Why did you do this? Did he hex you?!"  
"I did nothing of the sort!" Draco yelled. Hermione placed a hand on his as she slid onto the cushion next to him.  
"Thanks, Harry." Hermione avoided his gaze, even though she could fell his eyes boring a hole through her, as she dried her few tears. "You want to know what's gotten into me, Ron?" He nodded and Hermione thought for a minute he probably could have breathed fire he was so angry. "Love, something that has no boundaries and pays no attention to rules, regulations, and lines. Something no one in the world can prevent." Ron's mouth was open at that point.  
"I bet he's really cursed you like Harry said!" Ron screamed.  
"It would have worn off by now and you would have known it a long time before now." Hermione answered.  
"He probably slipped a love potion into your drink! Ha, get out of that!" Ron yelled triumphantly.  
"When could he have done that? I never took a drink from him." Ron's face contorted as he tried to come up with another explanation.  
Harry looked at Draco who looked him straight in the eye. For the first time Harry noticed that Draco's eyes were not dark and cold as usual. They were not the deep voids of emptiness he was used to seeing. They were swirling with emotions that Harry didn't think were even possible for a Malfoy to feel, none-the-less, Draco Malfoy. His face relaxed as he continued to understand Draco only through their eye contact. He could see Draco's true intentions. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, I don't know. Harry broke their contact still trying to explain to himself how all this had happened over the past year at Hogwarts.  
"Ron, I have forgiven him. I think it's high time you did the same," Hermione said in an undertone.  
"Hermione," Harry cut in, "when did all this happen? I mean, when did you decide you love Draco Malfoy? Draco Malfoy, the hater of Gryffindors, the despiser of muggle-borns, the Slytherin Prince, the son of a Death Eater?" Harry stressed his last words.  
"Let's get a few things straight!" Draco burst out, "I am not proud of my heritage! I was taught to hate and despise by my father, a Death Eater; I have had to obey every word that comes from my father's mouth since I was old enough to crawl; I have had to hide behind a mask since I was eight; and I was denied the one thing that kept me sane, Hermione! Do you know what it's like to walk around with a cold, dark mask covering your face day and night, to be forced to live like a caged animal, to be taught dark magic and other appalling things against your will for the evil of another man and the pride of you family, or to have only two people to ever be there for you, even if one of them only existed in your dreams?! Do you know what it's like waiting for that dreaded day that you will be forced to become a Death Eater and be cursed with the Dark Mark like your dear old dad?! NO! None of you have to do any of that! You all have caring and loving families! You don't have to wait for the day that you are called to kill, plunder, and cause pain in the name of the most feared wizard of all time! You don't have to worry about dying for Voldemort's plans! You don't have to worry about hurting fellow human beings! Do you honestly think I want any of that?!"  
"Well I did until you just-" Neville interrupted but was jabbed in the ribs by Ginny and he bit his tongue (a bit harder than necessary) to shut himself up.  
Hermione hung her head. She already knew all this, well most of it, anyway. Draco stopped his tirade when he felt a few tears fall onto his hands from Hermione's eyes. She looked up at him with flaming eyes. "I have a feeling that your father will get what he deserves in the end." Harry cleared his throat to get her attention. "Oh, sorry, Harry! When it happened? Ten years ago."  
"I'm lost," Dean muttered.  
"Me too," Harry said. "First we find these two.uh.being friendly, then Hermione says what's on her mind, and then this guy," he gestured toward Draco, "has his little outburst and what in the world do you mean by ten years ago?! You two haven't known each other for that long!"  
"Oh great, here we go again!" Draco sighed.  
"I'll explain later." Ginny put a hand on Harry's shoulder.  
"You knew, Ginny?! You KNEW?!" Ron yelled his face still pink.  
"Ginny, why didn't you tell us?" Harry asked.  
"I.um.oops?"  
"Never mind, listen, Hermione, we're reviewing the Patronus again today so you don't have to stay and I don't think it's a good idea for Malfoy to stay here either." Padma and Luna walked into the room and smiled.  
"That's Draco." Draco corrected him. "And I honestly don't think it will make a difference if I stay or not. Word is going to get out somehow." He looked at the Creevy brothers and they both looked in different directions, each humming tunelessly.  
"Okay, I-You forgot to ask Sirius to find a boggart again, didn't you?"  
"Oops?" Harry smiled stupidly. "I do need to know if you can still do it though and," he gave her a pleading look, "please help me remember to get a lot of chocolate when we have the boggart."  
"Okay."  
"Hey, why don't you two have a race again?" Ginny asked.  
"Again?" Harry and Hermione sighed but rolled up their sleeves and took their positions for the race.  
"What are you talking about race?" Draco asked.  
"You'll see." Dean answered him.  
"On your mark.Get set.Go!" Ginny yelled.  
"Expecto Patronum!" Harry and Hermione yelled. A silver stag and otter shot from the tips of the two wands. They raced each other around the room and skidded to a halt at Draco's feet.  
"Enough surprises for one day. I'm leaving." Draco left the room, leaving the door open.  
"I better go make sure he doesn't hurt himself. You know how he can be." Hermione walked to the door.  
"I heard that!" Draco called. Hermione shook her head and followed him.  
Later that night.  
"I'm beat. I want to go to bed." Ron clambered through the portrait hole. "It'll be just my luck to have nightmares the one night I need rest."  
"Why would you have nightmares, Ron?" Colin said loudly. "Would it be because of what happened earlier?"  
"Yeah! I mean, who wouldn't have nightmares?" Dennis half yelled.  
"What's this all about?" A prefect came up and asked.  
"Oh, nothing special, really. We just found the Head Boy and Girl making out in our classroom," Dennis said innocently. The room went quiet.  
"What do you take us for, complete imbeciles?" A third year girl asked from her chair.  
"No, because only a complete imbecile wouldn't believe in proof." Colin waved his camera in the air. "I'm a genius!" He chuckled and retreated to his dormitory.  
"Oh no," Ginny groaned as the oldest Gryffindors raced up and started banging on Colin's door.  
By the next week the entire school knew all the latest gossip, especially the fact that the Head Boy and Girl, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, were going out. Millions of Colin's moving photos were also circulated through the school. "That's nice," Hermione said sarcastically when Ginny showed her one. The whole of Gryffindor had been told the story of their Head Boy and Girl by a very agitated Ginny one night in the common room. After a couple weeks of cold looks, whispering, and mean comments from the rest of the school Draco and Hermione had almost given up hope that at least a handful of people would understand them.  
Then, one day, a first year Gryffindor came up to them in the corridor. "H-hello, I.I just wanted t-to tell you t-that I'm o-on your side. If I was in your situation I would have done the same thing." The young girl grew bolder as she talked and Draco and Hermione smiled.  
"Thank you. We needed that," Hermione said. The girl nodded shyly and skipped off. Everyone else in the corridor goggled at the girl as she left. Draco and Hermione realized that the days following the Gryffindor's confrontation with them were not filled with the usual whispers, especially from the Gryffindors. Gradually, their story was swept into every crevice of the school. At last, when the Gryffindor boys had started to warm up to Draco, although very slowly, almost all of Gryffindor confronted Draco and Hermione (at different times) just like the first year and admitted that they might have been wrong to judge the book by its cover.  
The Slytherins were a totally different story. They avoided Draco and Hermione all they could, which was pretty easy. Draco spent all his time with Hermione. He sat with her in each class and sat as close to her as he could at dinner time. Only Crabbe and Goyle stayed loyal to Draco. All the Slytherin girls stuck up their nose when they saw Draco and hissed when they saw Hermione. The boys didn't do much of anything, just acted as though the Slytherin and Gryffindor didn't exist. Pansy was.let's just say, heartbroken when she found out about Draco and Hermione. After a few weeks of failure she finally succeeded in catching Draco alone outside his dorm.  
"What do you want?!" He cried.  
"Is it true?!" Pansy asked.  
"Is what true?"  
"Don't act dumb! You know what I'm talking about!"  
"Oh, that. Let me tell you a little secret." Draco motioned for her to lean her head in closer.  
"Draco James Malfoy! What in the world are you-" Hermione had walked around the corner.  
"I'm just telling her a secret." Draco stressed his last word.  
"A se- Oh!" Hermione's eyes grew wide. "I'll just leave you two alone." She winked at Draco as she whispered the password and rushed into the common room. Right after Hermione had entered it she heard Draco yell.  
"YES, PANSY! IT'S TRUE! NOW STOP BUGGING ME!" Pansy shrieked and ran backward a few paces. Draco muttered the password and entered the common room to find a slightly agitated Hermione. "Oh, sorry. I guess it did look a bit odd from your point of view. I didn't expect you to come around the corner at that very second. I'm just getting tired of everyone asking me if the rumors are true."  
"It's okay. Oh, and 'hello' to you too." Hermione sniffed. Draco laughed, leaned down, and kissed her. Pansy, who could see everything through the open portrait hole screamed and ran off, but not before Sir Cadogan's portrait slammed closed and he huffed, "Excuse you!"  
"That could have gone better," Sir Cadogan muttered after pansy was out of sight.  
"Yes, it could have."  
"Who goes there?!"  
"It's me, you great lummox." McGonagall appeared in front of him.  
"Oh, hello; what is it you seek, My Lady?" Sir Cadogan smiled.  
"Oh, nothing much, I just wanted to know how our two lovebirds are doing. No problems, I hope?" The sides of McGonagall's mouth twitched.  
"Oh, there have been a few arguments here and there but nothing to worry about." Sir Cadogan reported dutifully.  
"Good. You have heard their story, haven't you?"  
"Yes, I was told by on of my friends. It was very sad and touching, made me cry." McGonagall rolled her eyes and walked away. "Well it did! Hey, I'm talking to you! Hey, hey!"  
'I just wonder if it will last," McGonagall thought.  
  
Ah.Another chapter finished. I hope this was okay. Please review. Flames are welcome. Later!  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	14. Chapter 14

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 14 By: Teenlaunch a/n: Okay, you are going to be either shocked or.shocked that I would even type this chapter. It was my sister's idea! Since when do I listen to my sister?! Anyway, the rest of the chapters are wacko, especially all the parts with Luscious, just to warn you. Oh, by the way, D: means Draco and H: means Hermione.  
  
"Happy Valentines Day," Draco said when he went into the common room and he kissed Hermione.  
"You too." She laughed.  
"Pity we have to go to breakfast instead of having it here. I would have liked to stay here. We could skip breakfast."  
"I would like to stay here too, but I'm hungry. I'm not skipping breakfast."  
"I just have this funny feeling that something bad is going to happen if I leave this room."  
"It will if you think like that. I had that same feeling one day when I was eight and I told my mother and she said, 'Be careful not to jinx yourself.' Well guess what, I must have jinxed myself because that was the day you left." Hermione shrugged.  
"That makes me feel so much better." Hermione rolled her eyes and left. When Draco entered the Great Hall he was met with an unpleasant sight. His father, Luscious Malfoy, was sitting among the Slytherins, waiting for him. "She's too smart for her own good." Draco took a deep breath before sitting down by his father. When his father didn't acknowledge his presence he was put on edge. Then he heard someone snickering. He looked around his father and saw Pansy sitting a few seats away from him laughing. After a minute she noticed him watching her and she looked away. Draco turned to his food and realized that his appetite had suddenly disappeared, but he tried his best to eat what was in front of him. After he was done with his breakfast, Luscious cleared his throat and Draco looked up from his plate.  
"Draco, I have received some very interesting news about you. Is it true that you and Miss Mudblood Granger have gotten.closer?"  
"First of all, I refuse to tolerate anyone calling her that foul name and second, yes, it is true. What is it to you?" Draco watched his father's face work furiously.  
"DRACO, HOW DARE YOU DISGRACE THE FAMILY NAME, AND WITH THAT GRANGER FILTH! WHAT COULD HAVE INFECTED YOUR MIND SO THOROUGHLY THAT IT CAUSED YOU TO DO SUCH A THING?!" Luscious fumed, his voice reverberating off the walls, canceling out all other sound. He was on his feet and Draco was soon on his own.  
"LOVE, FATHER! SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT! TELL ME, WHY ARE YOU THE WAY YOU ARE?" Harry and Ron spit out their pumpkin juice. There was a sputtering noise and they looked across the table to find Neville drenched in their pumpkin juice. "WHY DO YOU INSIST ON KEEPING THE TRADITIONS OF THE PUREBLOODS ALIVE WHEN YOU KNOW THAT IT IS WRONG? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BE MY FATHER?! I CAN NOT STAND YOU! DO YOU KNOW WHY?" Luscious opened his mouth but Draco didn't let him say a word. "YOU TRIED TO MOLD ME INTO A REPLICA OF YOURSELF! LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR, I DO NOT WANT OT BE LIKE YOU! I DON'T WANT TO BE SOME KIND OF MONSTER THAT ONLY CARES ABOUT HIS MONEY AND HIS POWER! That's not me."  
"DRACO, HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME THAT WAY!"  
"Wait, I'm not finished! I wanted to congratulate you on your.success. While you wanted to transform my entire being you only succeeded halfway. You can shape the exterior but you can't shape the heart. It has its own course, and it looks like my heart's course is very different than yours. Do what you will with me just don't blame Hermione for this." At this Hermione stood and came up to Draco. "Hermione, what are you doing?!" He whispered fervently. She responded by giving him a kiss on the cheek and taking his hand. Luscious glared at her. "I hope you don't regret that."  
Crabbe, Goyle, Lavender, Parvati, Padma, Luna, and Neville got up and stood beside their friends. Harry and Ron looked at each other and slowly got up to take their places beside their fellow Gryffindors and, used to be enemies. Draco looked around him and smiled. Everyone, even Harry and Ron, smiled back. "Let me repeat the main point of my speech in smaller, simpler words so you are sure to understand. I love Hermione Granger and nothing you say or do will ever change that. Thank you for your time, Father. Now, if you will excuse me," Draco walked away from Luscious with Hermione's hand gripped tightly in his own and their little posse following them. Luscious was standing there, gaping.  
"D-Draco.Draco!" Draco continued walking and soon they were in the Room of Requirement. Everyone collapsed onto couches, cushions, and chairs.  
  
"I never thought I'd see Luscious Malfoy put to shame like that," Harry said.  
"It was really funny too. Did you see his face?" Ron asked.  
"Your dad would have paid everything he has to see that. That's a fact!" Draco said. There was a knock on the door and Ron opened it. His eyes grew wide and he slammed the door.  
"Guys, I think we need a bigger room!" The door was forced open and Ron was slammed against the wall. All of the school's Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws poured in. The more people that filed into the room the larger the room got.  
"Three cheers for Draco Malfoy! Hip-Hip-Hooray! Hip-Hip-HOORAY! Hip- Hip-HOORAY!" Someone called and the cheers were given, loud and clear.  
"What's this for?" Draco yelled.  
"You're the only person to have ever stood up to your father! You deserved that!"  
"Not really," Draco muttered.  
"Come on; let's have our own V-Day party!" Parvati screamed. The room grew to the size of the Great Hall. A dance floor, tables, food, and a DJ station appeared.  
"I'm the DJ!" Colin raced toward it. The party went on for a couple of hours. Some of the girls even got together to do a couple performances. When Hermione, one of the girls, came back to her seat Draco gave her an odd look.  
"Since when have you danced like that?"  
"If only you knew." Hermione muttered. After a while of listening to the music the song that Draco wanted came on. He grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged her onto the dance floor. They both started to sing as they danced. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ D: I come here today, H: I'm kind of nervous D: You know how words get in my way H: It should come easy, I've been rehearsing D: I don't know why I'm so afraid, to say  
  
B: Will you marry me  
Put our love and life together H: Will you stay with me  
For always and forever D: On bended knee, would you take this ring B: Will you marry me, please D: Will you marry me  
  
D: To be with you is what I live for  
But at this moment I confess  
Though I love you, H: God knows I love you  
Deep down inside I'm scared to death D: say yes  
  
B: Will you marry me  
Put our love and life together H: Will you stay with me  
For always and forever D: On bended knee, would you take this ring B: Will you marry me, please D: Will you marry me  
  
D: On bended knee * Draco stopped dancing, dropped to one knee, and pulled a box from his pocket. H: On bended knee * Hermione could barley believe her eyes. Was he doing what she thought he was? Her eyes welled up with tears as he opened the box. D: Would you take this ring * He looked up at her with a worried expression. What if she said no? H: I will take your ring * Hermione smiled as his eyes lit up and he stood. D: Will you marry me, B: please * Draco slid the ring on her finger as he sang the last line. D: Will you marry me ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Draco kissed Hermione, more passionately than ever before and there was applause. Half of the congregation didn't even know why they were clapping but they did anyway. There were a few whistles and catcalls from the people closest to the couple.  
"Why are we clapping?" Harry asked Ron.  
"Beats me," Ron said as he shrugged.  
"Malfoy just proposed to her!" Hannah Abbot shrieked.  
"What?!" Ron's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell down into a dead faint.  
"Ron?! Uh.Ron? Uh, oh." Harry started to laugh.  
Later that night, when Draco and Hermione went to their dorm, they met Luscious for the second time that day. "Hello, Draco, Miss Granger." Luscious' mouth twitched.  
"Hello, Father," Draco said slowly as his father took a drink of a strawberry milkshake in his hand. Draco's hand that was holding Hermione's tightened its grip. "What do you want?"  
"I want to talk. Your behavior was most intolerable today."  
"I don't really feel the need to talk to you. I've said all I want to. Happy nightmares," Draco said as the portrait hole opened and he and Hermione climbed through it. The flames of the torches along the corridor caught Hermione's ring as the portrait closed and Luscious, who had been taking a sip of his milkshake to calm himself, spit it out all over himself and Sir Cadogan's canvas. He dropped his cup, which happened to land on Mrs. Norris. She sped off, hissing madly.  
"You hooligan! How dare you vandalize my private territory! Wait until Filch finds out!" Sir Cadogan raged. Luscious paid him no attention.  
"DRACO JAMES MALFOY!!"  
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Draco mumbled.  
"Shh.Listen, it's Filch and McGonagall!" Hermione said excitedly.  
"Filth, grime, muck! More work for me!" Filch yelled.  
"Argus, that is quite enough!"  
"Enough, enough?! I'll say it's enough! I've been scrubbing the dungeons clean for two days now and I am still not even halfway done!"  
"Fine then! I will clean it up!"  
"Y-You would? Oh, thank you Professor! Thank you! I've got to get going." Filch hobbled away muttering to himself.  
"Now, Mr. Malfoy, what is the meaning of this? Befouling the castle and disturbing the peace at the same time!"  
"Peace? Peace?! There will not be peace until my son comes to his senses!"  
"What has he done this time?" McGonagall asked, trying to fight down her laughter. Luscious looked like an overgrown, exotic vulture with pink and black feathers.  
"I think," Dumbledore said stepping up behind Luscious, "that Luscious has finally realized that his son is out of his control. Draco has finally gone too far."  
"What has he done?"  
"It's up to you Luscious. What is your decision? Are you going to disown your son forever or stand by his side because he really has done nothing wrong, nothing against the law anyway?" Luscious glared at Sir Cadogan's portrait then turned on his heel and left.  
"Is anyone going to tell me the big secret?"  
"Oh, so sorry, Minerva. What do you want to know?"  
"What did he do?"  
"Oh, noting out of the ordinary really. He just asked the woman he loves to become his forever."  
"WHAT?!" McGonagall and Sir Cadogan yelled.  
"That's right. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a couple owls to send."  
'And here I thought it might not last.' McGonagall thought.  
  
Teenlaunch: Someone kill me. BaByBuSh: Oh, here, let me! Teenlaunch: You're just mad because it reminded you of something else. BB: Nuh-uh you didn't just.Now I am going to kill you! T: But what would Tate say then? He might not like you after that. BB: You said his name! T: What? Taters? Tater-tot? Spuddy? Boy? Which one did I say? BB: Leave me alone before I kill you, now. T: Okay, bye! BB: Get back here!  
  
End of chapter 14! Thanks for reading! Don't ask about that stuff above this. I just did it to get on my friend's nerves.  
  
~Teenlaunch~ 


	15. Chapter 15

The Dragon's Heart: Chapter 15 By: Teenlaunch a/n: Hope you like it! If you don't it's okay. Oh, yeah, my friend (Major Fan Fic) wrote most of this, just to let you know.  
  
"Draco, wake up."  
"Five more minutes," Draco groaned.  
"None of that. It's not my fault if you were up all night with Hermione. Now, up!" The blankets were ripped off of Draco's bed and his eyes shot open. He blinked. "Come on Draco. Hermione's getting up now."  
"Wha- Mom?!"  
"Yes, now come on, you lazy bum!" Narcissa threw some clothes at his face.  
"Why are you here?"  
"What does it take to get you out of bed?"  
"I'm going."  
When both Draco and Hermione entered the common room they saw Luscious sitting on one couch, glaring at a man sitting across form him. "What's he doing here?!" They yelled in unison, pointing at Luscious.  
"Believe me; I did not come of my own free will."  
"Okay, let's not start a fight. Dumbledore brought us all here so our children could tell us something." Mrs. Granger sat down beside her husband and Narcissa did the same. Draco and Hermione looked at each other and Draco sat in the remaining chair just to have Hermione sit on his lap.  
"Thanks," he said.  
"You're welcome." They had both avoided eye contact with their mothers and, after a prolonged silence, someone spoke.  
"I take it you're still mad at us," Mrs. Granger said.  
"That's obvious, Melody," Narcissa said in a low voice.  
"Actually, I was going for furious," Hermione said.  
After a moment Draco spoke, "What she said."  
"Off this subject...Dumbledore met with us this morning and told us to come see you. So, here we are." Melody looked at the two nervously.  
After another prolonged silence Luscious spoke. "If they won't tell you then I will. They are engaged." Luscious gritted his teeth. Both Luscious and Mr. Granger jumped and held their ears as their wives screamed.  
"I can't believe it!" Narcissa screamed and hugged Melody.  
"One problem..." Hermione said as she pointed to her father and Luscious.  
"Well, we'll just have to fix that, won't we?" Narcissa went to the portrait hole.  
"Where are you going now?" Mr. Granger asked.  
"I and Narcissa want to talk. We haven't seen each other for ten years, remember?" Melody walked out of the room.  
"What are we supposed to do?!" Luscious yelled.  
"Get to know each other." Narcissa left as well.  
"Leave it to my mother," Draco muttered.  
"I have an idea," Mr. Granger said after a very tense silence. "I'll stick around Draco and Mr. Malfoy, here, can stay with Hermione."  
"Humph! Alright, we'll do that. Everyone's against me, my wife, my son...the world! What else am I supposed to do?!"  
"Uh, calm down might be one," Draco mumbled.  
Later that day...  
"My son is walking around in the company of a muggle while I am stuck with you!" Luscious fumed as he and Hermione sat by the lake.  
"It's not that bad. At least you're not at the mall with me. You'd be a walking coat rack by now. Um...If you don't mind me asking, Mr. Malfoy, what do you like doing in your spare time?"  
"Spare time? I like to read, write, swim, and...sleep."  
"What? Nothing about spending time with Narcissa?"  
"Oh, that too." Luscious picked up a stone and skipped it across the surface of the lake. "What about you? What do you like doing?"  
"Shopping-"  
"That should come in handy soon."  
"-reading, singing, dancing-"  
"What kind of dancing?"  
"Um...any really."  
"Have you ever been in a contest? Did you win?" Hermione nodded. "Guess you do have a wild side. I know that most anybody needs one to win a dancing contest. At least that's what I hear." Luscious shrugged.  
"Of course I have a wild side, as you call it. It wouldn't be fun dancing if I didn't. You know, Draco thought that dance the girls talked me into doing on V-Day was crazy! I wonder what he would say if he saw the real me dancing?" Luscious laughed.  
"Be speechless no doubt!"  
"I don't believe it! We're actually talking to each other!" Luscious' eyes grew wide.  
"I...uh...so we are. Um...Hermione? Would you mind letting me have a little alone time? Just...go visit Hagrid or something." Luscious waved her off. As she walked away Luscious drifted deep into thought. 'Maybe I have been a little hard on Draco. She seems...okay.'  
'Don't you mean to say, 'for a mudblood'?'  
'You stay out of this!'  
'Why? I mean, I am you, after all.'  
'Because you always make me confused! Now, go away!'  
'Who would you rather talk to? Me or your son?'  
'You have a point there...Okay, since you're my conscience you can tell me how I really feel, straight out, right?'  
'More or less.'  
'Then tell me... What do you think about her?'  
'Who?'  
'Who- My future daughter- in- law, nitwit! I can't believe this! I'm calling myself a nitwit!'  
'Anyway, her...Well, let's see...she's a beautiful young woman, she's smart, talented...did I mention beautiful?'  
'Anyway, what should I do?'  
'Let's see...Ask her to call you Father...It only makes sense, after all...talk to her more...listen to me much more!'  
'Why in the world should I listen to you more?!'  
'Who told you working for Voldemort was a bad idea?'  
'You...'  
'Who suggested standing up to your father like Draco is doing?'  
'You...'  
'And who told you not to push your son over his limit?'  
'Why am I talking to you again?'  
'Just trust me!'  
'But...I'm scared. The Dark Lord expects Draco to-'  
'Does Draco seem to be worried?'  
'No...But he'd kill Draco, not to mention the Mudblo...the Mud-'  
'See, you can't even call her that name any more!'  
'Who are you again?' Silence reigned.  
"Note to self, stop talking to myself." Luscious walked over to Hagrid's hut and gulped before knocking. Hagrid answered and nodded solemnly.  
"Would you, uh, mind waitin' a minute? Hermione was abou' teh tell me somethin' important."  
"I believe she can tell you in front of me, but first I have something to ask her." Luscious stepped into the hut and sat down. "Um...Hermione...I've, uh...thought my son's decision over and I have come to my conclusion. I was wondering...if you would...uh-"  
"Spit it out, will yeh?!" Hagrid roared.  
"Will you call me Father?" A deadly silence fell.  
"Yeh've gone mental!" Hagrid muttered.  
"I wish..."  
"Why would she want teh call yeh tha'?"  
"He doesn't know?" Hermione shook her head.  
"Not many teachers do and most of them don't believe the rumors."  
"Rumors? I haven't heard any rumors. Not that I'm interested...Uh, wha' are the rumors?" Hagrid asked.  
"Oh, this and that. There's one that says, and I quote, 'Did you hear? Draco Malfoy asked Hermione Granger to marry him! Yeah, I know, bogus isn't it?!' "Hermione adopted a high pitched voice. Hagrid burst out laughing.  
"Who came up with tha' one?! It's rich!"  
"Uh..." Hermione couldn't answer. She was still trying to figure out how to break the news to Hagrid when she reached over the arm of her chair and absentmindedly patted Fang's head. Her ring must have caught Hagrid's eyes because he suddenly stopped laughing and stared at her hand. His mouth was hanging open. Fang got up and nudged Hagrid's arm with his nose. Hagrid's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell out of his chair. Luscious and Hermione grabbed onto their chairs as the hut shook violently. "Oh dear..."  
Meanwhile...  
"So, Draco- it is Draco, right?" Draco nodded. "Can I ask you a couple questions?" Draco shrugged, not really listening. "Um, where are we?"  
Draco laughed. "The Quidditch Pitch."  
"Oh, I see. What's quidditch?" Draco shook his head.  
"You have just asked me about one of my favorite subjects. Do you know how dangerous that is?"  
"D-dangerous?"  
"Once I start talking I don't stop."  
"Oh, that kind of dangerous. So, what is quidditch?" As Draco started explaining the complicated rules of quidditch Hermione and Luscious were trying to revive Hagrid.  
"Okay, why are we out here again?" Luscious asked again as he looked at the lake's still surface.  
"How many times have I told you?" Luscious shrugged. "I levitate Hagrid into the air, move him above the lake, and drop him in." Hermione did just that and, as Draco was finishing his explanation, Hagrid called out.  
"What in tarnation yeh tryin' teh do?! Kill me?!" It echoed and Draco jumped a foot off the ground.  
"What in the world was that?!" Mr. Granger yelled.  
"I don't know. Let's go see." Mr. Granger followed Draco around to the lake and found Hagrid yelling at the top of his lungs.  
"Have yeh both lost yer marbles?! I'm not even sure you had marbles teh begin with Malfoy, but you! What happened teh yeh?! Did someone drill a hole in yer 'ead?!"  
"Is he ever going to stop yelling?" Luscious whispered to Hermione.  
"You expect me to know the answer to that?" Hermione asked as she laid spread eagle on the grass. Luscious flopped down a few feet from her as Draco ran over.  
"Hagrid! What's the matter?"  
"What's the matter? What's the matter?! I'll tell yeh what's the matter! The world's gone nutters! I thought those pictures were fake an' ev'rythin' was just somethin' a firs' year made up, tryin' teh be funny! Honestly, yeh all musta had yer brains fried!" Draco sat down on Hermione's other side, away from his father.  
"What's he going on about?"  
"He just woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Hermione muttered as Hagrid continued yelling.  
"You can not be sleeping through this!" Draco noticed that Hermione's eyes were closed and she somehow seemed to be blocking Hagrid out.  
"Why can't I?"  
"Because...oh, never mind, move over."  
"What?"  
"I want to sleep too."  
"Why?"  
"Because you are."  
"Copycat."  
"Meanie."  
"You're such a big baby."  
"Yeah, so?" Hermione shook her head and rolled onto her side, with her back to him. Draco scooted closer to her slowly and managed to get barley an inch from her. He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her against him.  
"Big baby," she said as she looked up at him.  
"And that's my problem, because?" Hermione was about to answer but was cut off by his lips. She responded immediately, both were unaware of the world outside their own (one that did not include Hagrid screaming at them).  
"An' besides tha' I- "Hagrid stopped as he noticed that neither Mr. Granger nor Luscious was listening to him. They were both looking as though they were about to faint themselves. Luscious was scooting towards Hagrid's feet, his eyes wide. Mr. Granger was just staring. "Wha' are you two gawkin' at now?" Luscious pointed and Hagrid's mouth fell open. He had already been in shock, now this was too much. Hagrid fainted (yet again, I know) and fell back into the water. He woke again immediately and jumped up. Everyone else was laughing because of the way they had been so suddenly soaked.  
"You're goin' teh be the death of me yet, Hermione!"  
Later that night...  
"It's been a very tiresome day; don't you agree?" Mr. Granger yawned.  
"Very," Luscious answered. "Where have our children gone off to?"  
"They said something about changing into dry clothes. I expect they're in their dorm."  
"Ah..." Luscious stopped at Sir Cadogan's portrait. "Uh...what's the password again?"  
"Let's see, I think it was...Baheesheema!" They walked into the common room to find Draco and Hermione sitting in a chair off to the side of the room.  
"What's wrong with you two?" Mr. Granger asked as he spotted the looks on their faces.  
"Oh, just our mothers," Draco said. Their fathers just gave them puzzled looks.  
"Look in my room," Hermione said but it wasn't necessary. Just then, Melody and Narcissa came out of her room smiling like maniacs.  
"Ooh, Hermione..." they chorused, "Draco!"  
"Oh no..." Draco groaned.  
Later that night...  
While their parents were busy talking, Draco and Hermione slipped off to Draco's room quietly.  
"I'm glad that's over," Hermione said.  
"Me too." They walked over and sat on Draco's bed. "Hermione..."  
"Yes?"  
"How are we going to make this wedding happen?"  
"What do you mean? Our mothers have already taken over!"  
"I mean...don't you want to do it...our way?"  
"Of course, but I don't really see that happening right now. Maybe, if we try to talk to them they'll listen."  
"We'll talk to them later; I'm a bit busy." Draco smiled and kissed Hermione.  
Meanwhile...  
"Where did those two run off to now, Narcissa?" Melody asked.  
"Probably as far away as possible from you two and I don't blame them," Luscious muttered in an undertone.  
"Ha ha, very funny!" Melody retorted.  
"Let's check their rooms," Narcissa said. Melody checked in Hermione's room and came back shaking her head.  
"Not in there."  
"Draco's," they said together.  
Knock Knock Knock  
"Not a moment of peace around here," Draco muttered. "Come in."  
"There you are."  
"Mom we need to you," Hermione said. Both women sat down. "Now, we both know that you two already have plans for our wedding but, we want it our way. After all it is our wedding."  
"Of course you can have it your way. Just tell us how you want everything done and we've got it covered," Narcissa said.  
"That's great. Thanks," Draco said as they left. "I guess we'd better get started."  
A couple hours later Melody and Narcissa came to tell Draco and Hermione goodbye. "Your fathers need to get back to work."  
"That's okay; are you coming back soon?" Draco asked.  
"We'll be back next weekend," Narcissa answered.  
"That's good." After hugs and kisses were exchanged, the four adults left and Draco and Hermione were alone at last. "Finally, peace and quiet!" Draco sighed. He turned to Hermione. "We had better get to bed soon. We have school tomorrow."  
"I know..."  
The next week went by fast for Draco and Hermione, except for their classes. The repeated questions were starting to get on their nerves. Before they knew it their mothers were back. "Your fathers said they had something to do so they couldn't come," Narcissa said.  
"Here's our list , Mom." Hermione handed the list to her mother.  
"Wow, we've got our work cut out for us, Narcissa," Melody said, handing her partner in crime the list. "Let's go."  
Over the next several weeks the ladies had been working on everything and trying to get it ready for the big day. The set date was May 21. Draco and Hermione were under some extreme pressure, mostly Hermione. It was only a month until their wedding day . Harry and Ron finally caught Hermione by herself in the Great Hall before breakfast.  
"Hey, haven't seen much of you lately," Harry said.  
"I know, but all this planning is so time consuming," Hermione sighed.  
"Well, if you would ask for help-"  
"Never mind, I'll get through it somehow. What is it?"  
"You're really stressed," Ron started but stopped at the look Hermione was giving him. "Uh, anyway, we just wanted to know if you put in a good word about us to Draco."  
"What do you mean?"  
"We both just got these letters." Harry handed her his. Hermione read it over quickly and smiled.  
"Oh, that's wonderful Harry! Ron, did you-"  
"Yep!"  
"I can't believe it! He actually did that without talking to me! I had nothing to do with this, guys!" Harry's and Ron's mouths fell open. "I got to go, see you!" Hermione plopped down on the couch as Draco came through the portrait hole.  
"What's that face for?" he asked as he sat down beside her.  
"Just a bit of stress."  
"You need to learn how to calm yourself down. Too much stress can be bad for you."  
"I know. There's just a lot I still have to do."  
"Like shop for your dress, order the cake, get a caterer... Have I left anything out?"  
"Only send the official invitations, get bridesmaids dresses and a few other things. Why is everything so complicated?"  
Draco shrugged. "So, what is done?"  
"Everything, except the-second-to-last-week things and the 'I dos'." Draco smiled again.  
That night they went into Hermione's room to watch movies. They laid on the bed in silence, holding each other. Hermione broke the silence by asking, "Draco, are you sure you're ready to get married?"  
"Honey, if I wasn't I wouldn't have asked you. I love you."  
"Right back at you." Hermione smiled and laid her head on Draco's chest. She fell asleep and he soon followed.  
The next few weeks passed quickly. Dresses were bought, a cake was ordered, and the invitations were sent. When many people at Hogwarts got their invitations they were stunned, mostly the teachers. Snape fell off his chair and Hagrid just stared at his. Flitwick started bouncing up and down while Hooch, Trelawny, McGonagall, and Sprout went teary eyed.  
Finally, the wedding day came. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, and Draco and Hermione were as nervous as the sun was bright. Lavender, Parvati, Padma, Ginny, and Luna were bridesmaids. As they helped Hermione get ready they also tried to calm her.  
Although uncommon, Draco had two best men, Harry and Ron, and three groomsmen, Crabbe, Goyle, and Neville. They were all a bit jumpy, mostly Draco. "Nervous?" Harry asked.  
"Just a little."  
The wedding started. As Hermione walked down the stretch to the altar Draco fought to keep his cool. The water of the lake was reflecting the sunlight and it shone brightly on Hermione's face. Dumbledore smiled at her as she walked, with her father, toward himself and Draco. Soon, although not soon enough, Dumbledore said, "You may now kiss your bride." Draco did as he was ordered.  
The reception was very delightful. Inside the Great Hall everyone ate heartily. Then, it came time for the bride and groom's traditional dance. As Hermione and Draco walked onto the dance floor the room became quiet. Most everyone had seen the two dancing on V-Day but the ones who hadn't were determined not to miss this one. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All I am, all I'll be Everything in this world All that I'll ever need Is in your eyes Shining at me When you smile I can feel All my passion unfolding Your hand brushes mine And a thousand sensations Seduce me  
  
I do cherish you For the rest of my life You don't have to think twice I will love you still From the depths of my soul It's beyond my control I've waited so long to say this to you If you're asking do I love you this much I do  
  
In my world, before you I lived outside my emotions Didn't know where I was going 'Till that day I found you How you opened my life To a new paradise In a world torn by chance Still with all my heart 'Till my dying day  
  
I do cherish you For the rest of my life You don't have to think twice I will love you still From the depths of my soul It's beyond my control I've waited so long to say this to you If you're asking do I love you this much I do ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
After their various traditional dances it was back to talking. Draco and Hermione sank into their chairs. "Man, my feet hurt!" Hermione said.  
"That's your fault."  
"How's it my fault? Hm?"  
"Well...uh-I don't know! Get off my case!" Hermione laughed. "Hey, Hermione."  
"Yeah?"  
"We haven't given a thought to where we're going to live."  
"The only options right now are my house or yours."  
"I'd have to say yours 'cause...That wouldn't end well. But, do you have room for me?"  
"I think we'll both fit in my bed, sound okay?" Draco nodded. "Mine it is then! But, it is surrounded by Muggles, which means, no magic in the open."  
"I'm not that stupid."  
"Could have fooled me."  
"Don't start that again!" Hermione giggled. Soon it was time for everyone's favorite event, the cutting of the cake. Everyone laughed when the couple smashed it into each other's face, but most were too busy laughing to see Draco steal a kiss from Hermione while they both were still covered in cake icing.  
After a long and noisy train ride, some sad goodbyes, and a cramped car ride, Draco and Hermione found themselves outside the Grangers' house. Soon, Draco was standing inside, looking around. "Well, make yourself at home," Hermione said. Draco and Hermione started to climb the stairs and reached Hermione's room.  
"Nice," Draco said as he walked into the room. Then he noticed her bed. "That should be more than enough room," he said with a wink. Hermione giggled.  
The next day...  
"Oh, Hermione, Draco, I forgot to tell you yesterday that your father and I are going to see some old friends," Mrs. Granger said.  
"Stay out of trouble!" Mr. Granger said.  
"We will. We were planning on going out into town today anyway," Hermione said as she and Draco walked out the door.  
Later that day, when Draco and Hermione got back to the house it was pitch black. "Hello?" Hermione asked. "They're not back yet, fancy that!" She looked at Draco who had a funny look on his face. "I've seen that look before and I bet I know what it means."  
"Alone time," Draco said, smiling mischievously as he pulled her to him.  
"This may sound cheesy, Draco, but, this looks like the start of a long, happy life for us."  
"Cheesy, but true," he said with a passionate kiss.  
  
Finish  
  
a/n: Thanks to all my reviewers! Until next time!  
  
the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called 'woman,' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken." That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.  
Genesis 2:23-24  
  
Teenlaunch 


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